This is getting tougher. Partly because I am trying to use up the food that's been in my freezer for months, and what remains is my least favorite (how do you cook antelope medallions, anyway?). So I've been trying to make things taste better by adding non-Whole30-approved BBQ sauces or semi-okay "cookies" (technically, they should be okay -- they're made of fruit and nuts/seeds, but I can't believe something sweet would be acceptable). Today I've struggled to avoid sugar-free gum, drink mixes, etc.
Food
B: US Wellness beef frank, 2 oz shredded chicken (~300 cal total)
L: Ortiz Bonito del Norte tuna (220 cal)
D: ?
Exercise
Walk to work (4 mi)
In addition, last night was the third night in a row that I've gotten 5-6 hours of sleep. I'm sure that's not helping things, particularly in feeling full/sated after eating.
Obviously I need to source some tastier meat, stop forcing myself to eat food I don't enjoy - particularly when I'm being so restrictive with the diet - and get more sleep.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Day 9
Once again, I didn't get enough sleep, but forced myself out of bed at 5:20 am.
Food
B: US Wellness beef frank, smoked oysters
L: US Wellness beef frank
D: Beef stew
Exercise
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk to studio & home (3 mi)
Teach BBB
Zumba
Food
B: US Wellness beef frank, smoked oysters
L: US Wellness beef frank
D: Beef stew
Exercise
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk to studio & home (3 mi)
Teach BBB
Zumba
Days 5-8
Memorial Day weekend
I was physically very tired most of the weekend, probably in recovery from Saturday:
Exercise
2 Tracy Anderson hipcentric workouts (1.5 hr)
Walk to studio & home, plus an errand (3.5 mi)
Teach BBB
Sunday's exercise involved standing around for several hours in the morning; that seemed to be enough for my body. Monday I got even less exercise, but I felt I'd physically recovered.
Food
I was very careful with food over the weekend; ate relatively little Saturday, an entire pound of elk Sunday, and a fair amount of tuna, burger, the 1 remaining lamb sausage, and something dietarily acceptable but rather forgettable. Overall, I stuck to the plan.
Tuesday
I didn't get enough sleep Monday night, and felt the effects throughout Tuesday.
Food
Tonnino tuna with jalapeno
Venison goulash
Chicken with skin and BBQ sauce
Exercise
Walk to work (4 mi)
Run an errand at lunch (.75 mi)
Walk home (5.5 mi)
Friday, May 25, 2012
Day 4
I'm not 100% on the Whole30, but I'm much closer than I ever have been. Sugar-free gum and drink mixes are still out. In this morning's breakfast (chocolate chili) I added much less bbq sauce than I have before. But -- I am starving! I'm eating a lot more food than normal, the temps are quite high, and I am unusually hungry. Not sure what this is about...
Day 4
B: Chocolate chili, guacamole, 4 lamb sausages (wow! probably not good...)
L: Chocolate chili, US Wellness beef frank
D: Sashimi, 2 lamb sausages
Exercise
Walk to dry cleaning (1.5 mi)
Walk downtown & around (6-7 mi)
Day 4
B: Chocolate chili, guacamole, 4 lamb sausages (wow! probably not good...)
L: Chocolate chili, US Wellness beef frank
D: Sashimi, 2 lamb sausages
Exercise
Walk to dry cleaning (1.5 mi)
Walk downtown & around (6-7 mi)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Day 3
I recalled a college archaeology course, in which the professor described how health had deteriorated with the invention of agriculture. What did we eat before that time? I investigated. I thought I should try to cut back on the breads and oatmeal. Maybe try eating more meat (this from a 30-year vegetarian). Overall, the paleo lifestyle sounded easier than my lifestyle. People kept weight off without constant exercise and starvation. That sounded nice.
I mostly cut out bread, grains, legumes, and dairy. Mostly. I still ate a little sugar every night, but much less than before.
Then, one day, I came across a comment on Mark's Daily Apple from a woman who had cured her PCOS. Normally this wouldn't interest me, as the type of PCOS I have differs from the type associated with overweight. But this woman had always been lean, and she had had cystic acne. She had the same type of PCOS as me! She had done her research, tried a number of different methods to cure the syndrome, and finally found something that worked.
It was a strict lifestyle, to say the least. But she provided the details and explained why it worked. I spent hours researching the topic on PubMed, to be reassured that I wouldn't have the same acne-explosion I had a few years previously, when I tried quitting the Pill (and had to undergo a course of Accutane to curtail it). Once I felt somewhat confident the changes would work, I jumped into the ice-cold water head first.
Well, mostly.
For several months I became much more strict about gluten, dairy, fruit, vegetable, and grain/legume intake. Mostly I ate fatty meat, flavored with some onions, red peppers, and tomatoes. I threw in raw meat, downed probiotics to improve digestion (to heal the skin-gut barrier) and supplements to get my adrenals back in line. As months passed, my acne didn't return. More or less, my skin remained clear. So I started to test my limits. I was pretty sure I had a glucose deficiency, due to teaching aerobic fitness classes and a too-low intake of carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes were a start, and chocolate. And nut butters. I added large quantities of kale (1 bunch/day), then moved on to giant salads as a dinner (rather than meat). Chocolate intake increased. One day this spring, I ate a chocolate croissant.
None of these things resulted in an immediate acne outbreak, but small bumps began to appear on my chin. Then surface pimples appeared, first one, then two, then five. They weren't deep, so I didn't worry. A few showed up on my neck and chest. I was annoyed, but still thought I had it figured out. My doctor, who had been very accommodating on this journey, suggested I was ready to start nudging my hormones into the proper cycle, and she started me on a very light regimen of topical creams. This kicked the breakout into overdrive, as well as my cravings for sugar. I was eating more, putting on weight, and experiencing blood sugar swings again -- I wasn't able to skip meals without extreme hunger. I spent about a week with a near-migraine, something that used to be constant but that I hadn't experienced in months. One day I broke down and ate a large amount of candy, equivalent to what I had eaten before changing my diet. And that, I knew, was my second tipping point.
In comes the Whole30, or some variance of it -- at least, a much stricter diet than I have done previously. I cut out sugar-free drink mixes and gum, which were totaling several quarts (mixes) and three packs (gum) each day. I cut out most of the processed sausages that substituted as desserts -- sodium, sugar, and caloric content were all much higher than my body can tolerate. Most of the flavorings I used heavily -- dressings, sauces, and condiments -- are eliminated. No more spur-of-the-moment bread treats, no more sweetened chocolate (except for the unsweetened cocoa in chocolate chili).
The first two days were rough and involved an abbreviated carb flu, my body sore, stiff and tight, exhausted, cloudy, and sleepy. If given the option, I would have stayed in bed both days. Today, my energy levels are somewhat recovered, and I suspect I would feel better had I gotten more than 6 hours of sleep.
Day 3
B: Two US Wellness garlic beef franks
L: 1 lamb sausage, guacamole
D: Salmon w/o skin, asparagus (~10 spears), guacamole, 4 lamb sausages
Exercise:
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (1.5 mi)
I mostly cut out bread, grains, legumes, and dairy. Mostly. I still ate a little sugar every night, but much less than before.
Then, one day, I came across a comment on Mark's Daily Apple from a woman who had cured her PCOS. Normally this wouldn't interest me, as the type of PCOS I have differs from the type associated with overweight. But this woman had always been lean, and she had had cystic acne. She had the same type of PCOS as me! She had done her research, tried a number of different methods to cure the syndrome, and finally found something that worked.
It was a strict lifestyle, to say the least. But she provided the details and explained why it worked. I spent hours researching the topic on PubMed, to be reassured that I wouldn't have the same acne-explosion I had a few years previously, when I tried quitting the Pill (and had to undergo a course of Accutane to curtail it). Once I felt somewhat confident the changes would work, I jumped into the ice-cold water head first.
Well, mostly.
For several months I became much more strict about gluten, dairy, fruit, vegetable, and grain/legume intake. Mostly I ate fatty meat, flavored with some onions, red peppers, and tomatoes. I threw in raw meat, downed probiotics to improve digestion (to heal the skin-gut barrier) and supplements to get my adrenals back in line. As months passed, my acne didn't return. More or less, my skin remained clear. So I started to test my limits. I was pretty sure I had a glucose deficiency, due to teaching aerobic fitness classes and a too-low intake of carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes were a start, and chocolate. And nut butters. I added large quantities of kale (1 bunch/day), then moved on to giant salads as a dinner (rather than meat). Chocolate intake increased. One day this spring, I ate a chocolate croissant.
None of these things resulted in an immediate acne outbreak, but small bumps began to appear on my chin. Then surface pimples appeared, first one, then two, then five. They weren't deep, so I didn't worry. A few showed up on my neck and chest. I was annoyed, but still thought I had it figured out. My doctor, who had been very accommodating on this journey, suggested I was ready to start nudging my hormones into the proper cycle, and she started me on a very light regimen of topical creams. This kicked the breakout into overdrive, as well as my cravings for sugar. I was eating more, putting on weight, and experiencing blood sugar swings again -- I wasn't able to skip meals without extreme hunger. I spent about a week with a near-migraine, something that used to be constant but that I hadn't experienced in months. One day I broke down and ate a large amount of candy, equivalent to what I had eaten before changing my diet. And that, I knew, was my second tipping point.
In comes the Whole30, or some variance of it -- at least, a much stricter diet than I have done previously. I cut out sugar-free drink mixes and gum, which were totaling several quarts (mixes) and three packs (gum) each day. I cut out most of the processed sausages that substituted as desserts -- sodium, sugar, and caloric content were all much higher than my body can tolerate. Most of the flavorings I used heavily -- dressings, sauces, and condiments -- are eliminated. No more spur-of-the-moment bread treats, no more sweetened chocolate (except for the unsweetened cocoa in chocolate chili).
The first two days were rough and involved an abbreviated carb flu, my body sore, stiff and tight, exhausted, cloudy, and sleepy. If given the option, I would have stayed in bed both days. Today, my energy levels are somewhat recovered, and I suspect I would feel better had I gotten more than 6 hours of sleep.
Day 3
B: Two US Wellness garlic beef franks
L: 1 lamb sausage, guacamole
D: Salmon w/o skin, asparagus (~10 spears), guacamole, 4 lamb sausages
Exercise:
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (1.5 mi)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Tipping Point (and Day 2)
Yesterday was a strange day, and a good reminder of how far I've come over the last year. I'll get to that tomorrow; in the meantime, here's a summary of how far I've come:
One year ago this weekend, I started reading about paleo diets, and rapidly became engulfed my version of a primal/paleo lifestyle. It took over my way of thinking, acting, and interacting with the world. Over the course of four months, I went from eating oatmeal, yogurt, pounds of fruit each day, and salads, topped off at night with candy. A safe estimate of my daily caloric intake from the evening sugar binge is 50%. But despite exercising several hours each day and eating healthfully, I couldn't get rid of a layer of fat on my entire body, and the particularly persistent fat at my waistline. I did crunches like a madwoman, but never saw definition in my abs. Even when I weighed 103 lb in my mid-20s, I didn't have definition there. I would look at the people I passed on the street and wonder how they managed it. And yet, I was constantly hungry. I battled depression and anxiety. My body was tired from exercise. If I relaxed and ate more, or exercised less, the depression would grow stronger and I would put on weight in the form of fat. This simply didn't make sense -- was I forced to choose between constantly pushing and being uncomfortable, versus unhappiness and lethargy?
I also began to wonder if a lifelong dependence on hormonal contraceptives, while effective at its intended purpose of keeping my cystic acne at bay, was perhaps not conducive to one day having children. I turned 31 that spring, and my biological clock began to tick. It occurred to me that my dependence on the Pill (or, rather, the cystic acne) might indicate a fundamental illness that was going untreated. Several doctors had told me I likely had PCOS, although a formal diagnosis had never been made. I was lean (most women with PCOS are overweight), but I had never had a regular period and I had cystic acne that responded to anti-androgen medication -- to me, these were enough to constitute a diagnosis, and I believe they satisfy the official criteria.
Also, I had a strong suspicion that, despite my efforts, my health was deteriorating, and I was on track to develop diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. I strongly relied on my nightly sugar binge, to get me through the day and to sleep at night. I knew, however, that I had symptoms of insulin resistance, and I saw the signs with each night's blood sugar roller coaster. I also knew that the roller coaster wasn't nearly as big as it had been years before, indicating insulin resistance. Studies were being published on the cancer-promoting effects of sugar intake. But it tasted good, and I looked forward to evenings because I could finally have a full stomach. And I could not go a day without it.
Recap of Day 1 (actual food intake and exercise)
B: 1/2 tin sardines
L: 1/2 tin sardines
D: Chocolate chili, 2 lamb sausages, small amount of fatty meat from a beef broth I made a while back
Oops: 1 glass Ocean Spray on-the-go drink mix
Tracy Anderson hipcentric DVD 1.2
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (easy)
BFC
Walk home (1.5 mi)
Notes: I was tired and had a headache most of the day. Had a major sugar slip last weekend, and am still clearing that out of my system. Apparently, I have to go through the low-carb flu again...I haven't had a headache in so long, today was a shock!
Day 2
B: 1/2 US Wellness pemmican bar
L: 1/2 US Wellness pemmican bar
D: Chocolate chili, 1 US Wellness beef frank, 1 lamb sausage, guacamole
Tracy Anderson hipcentric DVD 1.2
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (easy)
BBB (teach)
Walk home (1.5 mi)
Note: Woke up at 5:10 am without an alarm. Hungry at wakening, muscles were tired on the walk to work. Physically tired, tight, and sore all day.
One year ago this weekend, I started reading about paleo diets, and rapidly became engulfed my version of a primal/paleo lifestyle. It took over my way of thinking, acting, and interacting with the world. Over the course of four months, I went from eating oatmeal, yogurt, pounds of fruit each day, and salads, topped off at night with candy. A safe estimate of my daily caloric intake from the evening sugar binge is 50%. But despite exercising several hours each day and eating healthfully, I couldn't get rid of a layer of fat on my entire body, and the particularly persistent fat at my waistline. I did crunches like a madwoman, but never saw definition in my abs. Even when I weighed 103 lb in my mid-20s, I didn't have definition there. I would look at the people I passed on the street and wonder how they managed it. And yet, I was constantly hungry. I battled depression and anxiety. My body was tired from exercise. If I relaxed and ate more, or exercised less, the depression would grow stronger and I would put on weight in the form of fat. This simply didn't make sense -- was I forced to choose between constantly pushing and being uncomfortable, versus unhappiness and lethargy?
I also began to wonder if a lifelong dependence on hormonal contraceptives, while effective at its intended purpose of keeping my cystic acne at bay, was perhaps not conducive to one day having children. I turned 31 that spring, and my biological clock began to tick. It occurred to me that my dependence on the Pill (or, rather, the cystic acne) might indicate a fundamental illness that was going untreated. Several doctors had told me I likely had PCOS, although a formal diagnosis had never been made. I was lean (most women with PCOS are overweight), but I had never had a regular period and I had cystic acne that responded to anti-androgen medication -- to me, these were enough to constitute a diagnosis, and I believe they satisfy the official criteria.
Also, I had a strong suspicion that, despite my efforts, my health was deteriorating, and I was on track to develop diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. I strongly relied on my nightly sugar binge, to get me through the day and to sleep at night. I knew, however, that I had symptoms of insulin resistance, and I saw the signs with each night's blood sugar roller coaster. I also knew that the roller coaster wasn't nearly as big as it had been years before, indicating insulin resistance. Studies were being published on the cancer-promoting effects of sugar intake. But it tasted good, and I looked forward to evenings because I could finally have a full stomach. And I could not go a day without it.
Recap of Day 1 (actual food intake and exercise)
B: 1/2 tin sardines
L: 1/2 tin sardines
D: Chocolate chili, 2 lamb sausages, small amount of fatty meat from a beef broth I made a while back
Oops: 1 glass Ocean Spray on-the-go drink mix
Tracy Anderson hipcentric DVD 1.2
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (easy)
BFC
Walk home (1.5 mi)
Notes: I was tired and had a headache most of the day. Had a major sugar slip last weekend, and am still clearing that out of my system. Apparently, I have to go through the low-carb flu again...I haven't had a headache in so long, today was a shock!
Day 2
B: 1/2 US Wellness pemmican bar
L: 1/2 US Wellness pemmican bar
D: Chocolate chili, 1 US Wellness beef frank, 1 lamb sausage, guacamole
Tracy Anderson hipcentric DVD 1.2
Walk to work (4 mi)
Walk at lunch (easy)
BBB (teach)
Walk home (1.5 mi)
Note: Woke up at 5:10 am without an alarm. Hungry at wakening, muscles were tired on the walk to work. Physically tired, tight, and sore all day.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Starting out
The intent of this blog is to explore the techniques and attain my goal of an ideal healthy, lean body. The basis on which I'll achieve this body is a paleo diet, but the specific macronutrient makeup of that diet, and how I'll regulate it, need to be determined.
Exercise is also a key component of building my body, and I'll study and experiment with a variety of exercise modalities along the way. The key to the physical movement component of all of this must be, ultimately, long-term sustainability. For example, a regimen built around 4 hours of daily endurance or high-intensity exercise is less realistic and sustainable than one that incorporates constant lower-intensity, functional movement throughout the day.
Where I'm starting from:
Regarding fitness, I know that I need regular moderate- to high-intensity cardio exercise to help maintain a positive mood, and some sort of strength/conditioning regimen is important to help sculpt the body I want. Walking is a meditative exercise and a long-time passion of mine, and I will continue to incorporate that whenever possible. The type of cardio and strength exercises that I decide to pursue are yet to be determined.
As for diet, I am committed to following a Whole30 approach to diet, beginning immediately. This will be my "reset" to remind me what real food is, and how my body functions when I fuel it appropriately. However, because of health issues, a more customized Whole30 will be necessary -- and it will be rather similar to the carnivorous diet described by Peggy Emch of The Primal Parent, with the addition of some vegetables (mostly guacamole and kale for snacks; onions, red peppers, and limes for flavor; I'll limit the red peppers and tomatoes to avoid aggravating a sensitivity to nightshades). Dairy, gluten, grains, legumes, sugars, artificial sweeteners (including drink mixes and gums, even post-meal!!!), caffeine (including decaf coffee), and any other processed food is entirely prohibited. For the most part, I will attempt to choose lower-fat options, rather than eating spoonfuls of oil as I have in the past; but I recognize that a significant amount of healthy fats is important, and relative to a SAD I will still be eating a high-fat diet. Also, I will keep in mind portion sizes, as I have let these get out of control. Finally, I will incorporate intermittent fasting 2-3 times/week, skipping one or two meals as hunger dictates. Otherwise, I'll eat small breakfasts and lunches most days, finishing with a larger dinner.
My body composition at present is more muscular than I ultimately want. I would like my shoulders, arms, and legs (particularly calves) to all be somewhat less muscular; jumping from dance has made my ankles and knees thicker, and I recall that they were thinner when I was a runner. I also want to lose some of the fat all over my body, obtaining a soft shape to my arms, abs, and legs so that muscles are visible but appear feminine; at present, my arms have a masculine look and my legs have the shape of a sprinter. My abs look like those of a weightlifter.
Essentially, I have both more muscle and more fat on my entire body than I want, and my goal is to find a sustainable, non-tortuous lifestyle that helps me obtain what I'm looking for and maintain it year-round without fighting hunger or energy levels, or encountering time constraints and added stress, on a daily basis.
Today's weight: 117 lb
Goal weight: 105 lb
Plan for Tuesday, May 22:
Exercise:
Tracy Anderson DVD (2 segments, hipcentric 1.2)
Walk to work (3.8 mi)
Easy walk at lunch
BFC
Walk home from studio (1.5 mi)
Diet:
B: sardines (1/2 tin, ~200 cal)
L: sardines (1/2 tin, ~200 cal)
D: Melissa Joulwan's chocolate chili (the chocolate is 100% unsweetened cocoa, contains no sugar)
Exercise is also a key component of building my body, and I'll study and experiment with a variety of exercise modalities along the way. The key to the physical movement component of all of this must be, ultimately, long-term sustainability. For example, a regimen built around 4 hours of daily endurance or high-intensity exercise is less realistic and sustainable than one that incorporates constant lower-intensity, functional movement throughout the day.
Where I'm starting from:
Regarding fitness, I know that I need regular moderate- to high-intensity cardio exercise to help maintain a positive mood, and some sort of strength/conditioning regimen is important to help sculpt the body I want. Walking is a meditative exercise and a long-time passion of mine, and I will continue to incorporate that whenever possible. The type of cardio and strength exercises that I decide to pursue are yet to be determined.
As for diet, I am committed to following a Whole30 approach to diet, beginning immediately. This will be my "reset" to remind me what real food is, and how my body functions when I fuel it appropriately. However, because of health issues, a more customized Whole30 will be necessary -- and it will be rather similar to the carnivorous diet described by Peggy Emch of The Primal Parent, with the addition of some vegetables (mostly guacamole and kale for snacks; onions, red peppers, and limes for flavor; I'll limit the red peppers and tomatoes to avoid aggravating a sensitivity to nightshades). Dairy, gluten, grains, legumes, sugars, artificial sweeteners (including drink mixes and gums, even post-meal!!!), caffeine (including decaf coffee), and any other processed food is entirely prohibited. For the most part, I will attempt to choose lower-fat options, rather than eating spoonfuls of oil as I have in the past; but I recognize that a significant amount of healthy fats is important, and relative to a SAD I will still be eating a high-fat diet. Also, I will keep in mind portion sizes, as I have let these get out of control. Finally, I will incorporate intermittent fasting 2-3 times/week, skipping one or two meals as hunger dictates. Otherwise, I'll eat small breakfasts and lunches most days, finishing with a larger dinner.
My body composition at present is more muscular than I ultimately want. I would like my shoulders, arms, and legs (particularly calves) to all be somewhat less muscular; jumping from dance has made my ankles and knees thicker, and I recall that they were thinner when I was a runner. I also want to lose some of the fat all over my body, obtaining a soft shape to my arms, abs, and legs so that muscles are visible but appear feminine; at present, my arms have a masculine look and my legs have the shape of a sprinter. My abs look like those of a weightlifter.
Essentially, I have both more muscle and more fat on my entire body than I want, and my goal is to find a sustainable, non-tortuous lifestyle that helps me obtain what I'm looking for and maintain it year-round without fighting hunger or energy levels, or encountering time constraints and added stress, on a daily basis.
Today's weight: 117 lb
Goal weight: 105 lb
Plan for Tuesday, May 22:
Exercise:
Tracy Anderson DVD (2 segments, hipcentric 1.2)
Walk to work (3.8 mi)
Easy walk at lunch
BFC
Walk home from studio (1.5 mi)
Diet:
B: sardines (1/2 tin, ~200 cal)
L: sardines (1/2 tin, ~200 cal)
D: Melissa Joulwan's chocolate chili (the chocolate is 100% unsweetened cocoa, contains no sugar)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)