Today is my third day of the Whole 30. Recap what this means for me: no protein powder, no stevia, no tea, no cocoa (technically tea is allowed but without stevia, why bother--also, the tannins in the tea may not be good for my low iron, so it may be well worth it even more!).
I'm starting to realize that although whey doesn't usually bother folks that are lactose intolerant, I may be one of the ones out there that even whey gives issues to. I haven't been even a bit bloated since before I started--unusal for me since my food allergies/sensitivities are so acute that I sometimes feel like I'm always carrying a little extra bloat. Here's the gross part: I've been going through some serious detox! Whatever I've been consuming all along that apparently didn't agree with me has began to work it's way out of me, slowly but surely! This is a good thing...I feel more energized and I'm back to being hungry again. Beforehand, it often seemed as though I had lost my hunger on several days of the week.
I can't say that I'm truly missing my hot/sweet drinks. The morning sleepiness is already gone; it had only lasted one day. I am replacing the hot drinks in the mornings with homemade bone broth to satisfy the warmth aspect of it all and that actually seems to be helping with the "cleansing" process. To be entirely honest, I was afraid this whole experiment would screw with my digestion as I'm not used to having a solid protein source for breakfast AND lunch AND dinner. I kinda figured I'd have a protein brick in my gut and would be sucking down some Smooth Move for the first week or so. I'm feeling good with a good 'ol trip to see John every morning early! (I don't what it says about me to admit that this is one my favorite times of the day--I just feel so accomplished!)
On another note, I had accupuncture for the first time yesterday. Why, you ask? Well, I'm exploring different methodologies for the treatment of all that ails me, particularly my adrenal fatigue and apparent infertility. Interesting experiene: lying on my back in a lavendar-scented room, wearing a sports bra and running shorts; tiny pin pricks from the tops of my feet to the tops of my head; laying there for atleast 30 minutes then get the pins removed; turn over on my belly with my head in a face cradle; tiny pin pricks lining both sides of my spine from my sacrum to my cervical; laying there for atleast another 20 minutes or so. I'm so surprised I didn't fall asleep, but I was so relaxed I literally couldn't (didn't want to) pick up my arms to get off the table. I plan on doing this about 4 or 5 times again before I have bloodwork done in March and see my doc in April. We'll see how it goes--who knows I may be fertile in a few months!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Whole 30 Day 1
The "all or nothing" side of me took control over the weekend and decided there was no use in waiting until Wednesday to start my 30 days. Today marks Day 1 of no stevia, protein powder, hot cocoa or hot tea.
It's funny how you get used to your rituals. A normal breakfast for me, for the past I don't even know how long was as follows: big bowl of veggies sauteed in coconut oil, a protein shake, and a mug a steamy hot cocoa. I LOVE MY MORNINGS! And I LOVED the order in which my mornings took place. This morning, however, had to be different. I planned on, and executed, a breakfast of 4 ounces of chicken thighs, my same big bowl of sauteed veggies, and topped it off with fresh, homemade chicken broth (had to have something to replace my steamy hot cup of cocoa). No doubt it was delish--I know I can live the next 30 days with mornings like that to wake up to. The funny thing is how much my cocoa must have had a stimulant effect on me. I know chocolate has caffeine, however I always thought it to be so miniscule that it wouldn't matter. Being a patient of adrenal exhaustion, I've shied away from caffeine in all other shapes and forms ON PURPOSE so that I wouldn't further tax my adrenal glands. I'm particularly in tune with my body, however, and although it has only been TODAY without my cocoa, I noticed something very interesting: I wanted to fall asleep while driving to work this morning! This is very telling to me...I've gotten so used to having even the slightest "help" in the morning that going without for ONE DAY causes my body to slow down unexpectedly. Now, we know this is only a temporary thing that will likely subside after tomorrow or the next day, but COME ON! Could be worse, I suppose. When I went off coffee for good, I had flu-like symptoms for about two weeks following that last cup!
We will continue to see if there are any other differences, good or bad. For what it's worth, I don't have much to change, so I don't imagine I'll notice too much. Going off my stevia will probably be the hardest since my sweet hot drinks are my treats in the mornings and at the ends of my days. It is possible, though, to reset my tastes to not even want that sweetness once this 30 days is done and gone. I guess one could only hope.
In case you're wondering, Korey decided to take the plunge 2 days early as well. When I went to bed last night, he was contemplating his "last cheat" before the 30 days were to begin. Too bad for him we don't exactly live in a household that could easily cater to a "cheat!" Anyway, we're both on board for the next 30 days--maybe 32 since I like round numbers and will probably just finish up on the last day of February. I'll be checking in accordingly!
It's funny how you get used to your rituals. A normal breakfast for me, for the past I don't even know how long was as follows: big bowl of veggies sauteed in coconut oil, a protein shake, and a mug a steamy hot cocoa. I LOVE MY MORNINGS! And I LOVED the order in which my mornings took place. This morning, however, had to be different. I planned on, and executed, a breakfast of 4 ounces of chicken thighs, my same big bowl of sauteed veggies, and topped it off with fresh, homemade chicken broth (had to have something to replace my steamy hot cup of cocoa). No doubt it was delish--I know I can live the next 30 days with mornings like that to wake up to. The funny thing is how much my cocoa must have had a stimulant effect on me. I know chocolate has caffeine, however I always thought it to be so miniscule that it wouldn't matter. Being a patient of adrenal exhaustion, I've shied away from caffeine in all other shapes and forms ON PURPOSE so that I wouldn't further tax my adrenal glands. I'm particularly in tune with my body, however, and although it has only been TODAY without my cocoa, I noticed something very interesting: I wanted to fall asleep while driving to work this morning! This is very telling to me...I've gotten so used to having even the slightest "help" in the morning that going without for ONE DAY causes my body to slow down unexpectedly. Now, we know this is only a temporary thing that will likely subside after tomorrow or the next day, but COME ON! Could be worse, I suppose. When I went off coffee for good, I had flu-like symptoms for about two weeks following that last cup!
We will continue to see if there are any other differences, good or bad. For what it's worth, I don't have much to change, so I don't imagine I'll notice too much. Going off my stevia will probably be the hardest since my sweet hot drinks are my treats in the mornings and at the ends of my days. It is possible, though, to reset my tastes to not even want that sweetness once this 30 days is done and gone. I guess one could only hope.
In case you're wondering, Korey decided to take the plunge 2 days early as well. When I went to bed last night, he was contemplating his "last cheat" before the 30 days were to begin. Too bad for him we don't exactly live in a household that could easily cater to a "cheat!" Anyway, we're both on board for the next 30 days--maybe 32 since I like round numbers and will probably just finish up on the last day of February. I'll be checking in accordingly!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
This is my accountability...
So, it's been F.O.R.E.V.E.R. since I've written. You know how it goes: get up, eat, drive, work, eat, work, work, work out, drive, eat, watch tv, sleep--day in and day out. It's hard to make time for things outside of this well-structured box of mine; BUT, I've decided it's time to get back on board. I have to say, when I sit down right now to type this entry, I have really missed using this medium to "speak" my mind. After all, I enjoy a good rant and I'm pretty sure Korey is tired of hearing it all at the end of every long work day (even though since he's been schooled by me, he has developed the same soap box issues as me!).
As you may know, I live my life by way of Paleo nutrition. My diet consists of meat, vegetables, a lot of good fats, a little bit of fruit and some nuts and seeds. Through the past year I've undergone treatment for chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, leaky gut, anemia, and have recognized a myriad of food allergies through it all. Paleo eating has been a true change of life for me and I choose to spend the rest of my days eating this way. Besides, who can turn down a huge chunk of juicy meat and a truckload of veggies roasted in delicious coconut oil?!
Although I've made this lifestyle change a while back, there are still a few things that I tend to "treat" myself with. I'd like to say that every bit of what I consume comes directly from nature, but that's not the case...I'm about 98% there. I do LOVE my morning protein shakes. When you have to take 10,000 capsules worth of supplements a day, a yummy protein shake makes for a great vehicle to get those bad boys down! Albeit the protein powder I buy is from hormone-free, grass-fed cows' whey with no added sugars or other processed ingredients, it still falls under the category of "man-made." My other "vice" you could call it would be my liquid stevia. I don't do caffeine any more but I've become addicted to hot tea and cocoa and use stevia several times throughout the day. I've recently wondered what, if anything, would be different about how I felt day to day if I went TOTALLY PRIMAL and lived only on things that were derived directly from nature in the purest of forms. These would be the only things I'd have to eliminate since I'm already consuming local pastured, grass-fed beef and pork, (my own) free-range chickens and eggs, organic vegetables, berries, and fats.
Then BOOM, a fave client/friend of mine mentions to me early one morning about something she'd stumbled upon called "Whole 30." She asked me to check it out to see what I thought. So I did...(www.whole9life.com).
In a nut shell, the Whole 30 program is about as "strictly" paleo as it gets...all from nature, no man-made anything, and no paleo versions of food porn like pizza, brownies, or ice cream (not a problem for me since I'm not turned on by that crap anyway!). It's designed to reset your physiology back to a pure, natural working order, eliminating sugar cravings, energy slumps, and a laundry list of other common issues people just tend to "deal with" on a regular basis that stem from food choices. The main point is to STICK TO IT FOR THE ENTIRE 30 DAYS without falling off...falling off means you failed (my interpretation, anyway).
I'm looking at this like, "This will be easy for me compared to the average Joe since I'm already as Paleo as they come, but I want to challenge myself anyway." Hidden agenda: challenge my husband to do it with me! He does pretty good through most days--especially for breakfast and dinner but has to really work hard not to eat pure SHIT when he's on the road for his lunches during the work week. I figured if I put him up the challenge, there'd be no backing down on his part. Plus I get to have the built-in accountability on my end if we're both participating.
We decided we're going to start our Whole 30 challenge on February 1--I'd say we'd start right away, but since it's a Leap Year, I figured, "what the hell, February has 29 days this year, so we'll start February 1 and end on March 1." We already have no bread in our house (haven't in years...well unless the parents are there because they could give two shits about eating healthy!) and the only dairy we ever have are Korey's cheese sticks--I'll be glad to have these out of the house since he chooses to "make 'em last" when he's eating them and puts hunks of them in his lip like dips and lets it waste away!
Anyway, I want to use this blog as my accountability journal to describe anything I notice day to day while doing the Whole 30. It'll be quite interesting. I don't see my doc again until April, so hopefully this will be worth my while. Damn I'm going to miss my shakes and my after dinner hot tea--cuz if it ain't sweet, I ain't drinking it!
As you may know, I live my life by way of Paleo nutrition. My diet consists of meat, vegetables, a lot of good fats, a little bit of fruit and some nuts and seeds. Through the past year I've undergone treatment for chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, leaky gut, anemia, and have recognized a myriad of food allergies through it all. Paleo eating has been a true change of life for me and I choose to spend the rest of my days eating this way. Besides, who can turn down a huge chunk of juicy meat and a truckload of veggies roasted in delicious coconut oil?!
Although I've made this lifestyle change a while back, there are still a few things that I tend to "treat" myself with. I'd like to say that every bit of what I consume comes directly from nature, but that's not the case...I'm about 98% there. I do LOVE my morning protein shakes. When you have to take 10,000 capsules worth of supplements a day, a yummy protein shake makes for a great vehicle to get those bad boys down! Albeit the protein powder I buy is from hormone-free, grass-fed cows' whey with no added sugars or other processed ingredients, it still falls under the category of "man-made." My other "vice" you could call it would be my liquid stevia. I don't do caffeine any more but I've become addicted to hot tea and cocoa and use stevia several times throughout the day. I've recently wondered what, if anything, would be different about how I felt day to day if I went TOTALLY PRIMAL and lived only on things that were derived directly from nature in the purest of forms. These would be the only things I'd have to eliminate since I'm already consuming local pastured, grass-fed beef and pork, (my own) free-range chickens and eggs, organic vegetables, berries, and fats.
Then BOOM, a fave client/friend of mine mentions to me early one morning about something she'd stumbled upon called "Whole 30." She asked me to check it out to see what I thought. So I did...(www.whole9life.com).
In a nut shell, the Whole 30 program is about as "strictly" paleo as it gets...all from nature, no man-made anything, and no paleo versions of food porn like pizza, brownies, or ice cream (not a problem for me since I'm not turned on by that crap anyway!). It's designed to reset your physiology back to a pure, natural working order, eliminating sugar cravings, energy slumps, and a laundry list of other common issues people just tend to "deal with" on a regular basis that stem from food choices. The main point is to STICK TO IT FOR THE ENTIRE 30 DAYS without falling off...falling off means you failed (my interpretation, anyway).
I'm looking at this like, "This will be easy for me compared to the average Joe since I'm already as Paleo as they come, but I want to challenge myself anyway." Hidden agenda: challenge my husband to do it with me! He does pretty good through most days--especially for breakfast and dinner but has to really work hard not to eat pure SHIT when he's on the road for his lunches during the work week. I figured if I put him up the challenge, there'd be no backing down on his part. Plus I get to have the built-in accountability on my end if we're both participating.
We decided we're going to start our Whole 30 challenge on February 1--I'd say we'd start right away, but since it's a Leap Year, I figured, "what the hell, February has 29 days this year, so we'll start February 1 and end on March 1." We already have no bread in our house (haven't in years...well unless the parents are there because they could give two shits about eating healthy!) and the only dairy we ever have are Korey's cheese sticks--I'll be glad to have these out of the house since he chooses to "make 'em last" when he's eating them and puts hunks of them in his lip like dips and lets it waste away!
Anyway, I want to use this blog as my accountability journal to describe anything I notice day to day while doing the Whole 30. It'll be quite interesting. I don't see my doc again until April, so hopefully this will be worth my while. Damn I'm going to miss my shakes and my after dinner hot tea--cuz if it ain't sweet, I ain't drinking it!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
I have a problem...
Yes, that's right: I have a problem! I have a problem with the same old excuses as to why people won't take control of their actions to ultimately determine whether or not they are going to live a long, healthy, energetic life! Sure, I'm biased! But, if given the option, wouldn't you choose to live as long as you could, as healthy as you could with plenty of energy and vitality to boot?! You'd be surprised the amount of noncompliance I encounter on a daily basis in regards to life-changing choices that are simply seen as "too hard" or "too time consuming" or the ever-popular "too expensive"!
I'm a full time manager and personal trainer at a private training studio. I train roughly 40 sessions per week on top of all my other duties associated with my job. I probably clock in atleast 60 hours in a given week, tending to all that needs to be done around the studio--not to mention starting my days in Greensboro at 5:30 in the mornings and staying some nights until 7:30! It's sad to say, but I sometimes see some of my clients during the day light hours more than I see my own husband. But, you know what, I'll go ahead and nip one excuse in the bud: Exercise is a priority and if being healthy is important to you, you'll make time for it. Given what I've just said about my daily regimen (and that's just a nugget of info), I still make time to exercise. If I didn't I'd not only go insane, but I'd have no time for ME to keep ME healthy. And if I'm not healthy, neither is my professional life and my performance at work will suffer. Every time I hear the excuse that there's not enough time to exercise I want to literally scream. Another nugget: My workouts NEVER last more than about 40-45 minutes, and that's on a long day. If you're telling me that you can't carve that our of your busy day a few times a week, you don't want to be healthy! Period.
Second excuse to conquer: Eating healthy is too time consuming and I can't find the time to eat. First of all, I can't overcome the notion of not being able to find the time to eat. I LOVE TO EAT and I will make damn sure I eat when I need to. What's not to like about EATING OFTEN IS A GOOD THING and EATING OFTEN WILL HELP YOU BURN FAT?! I hear all the time that folks can't seem to figure out how to snack during the day. Oh, and don't get me started on the "I don't eat breakfast" deal! That's my favorite meal of the day, and there's no way in HELL I'm starting my day off in a fasted state! I wake up hungry--as you should. You just spent HOURS fasting and your body and mind need a boost to make for a great day. Not to mention this low blood sugar state is no good for your adrenal health and actually puts more stress on you than it's worth. Note: Skipping breakfast to "cut calories and lose weight" is a FALACY and should not be attempted, and not under the supervision of a doctor either! Bottom line: You have to eat the right combination of things at the time right times to lose weight, feel great, and remain energetic. Period.
The final excuse I'll tackle today has to do with the excuse that eating healthy is "too expensive." Case in point: My husband, my daddy, and I all go out to our local co-op every Sunday morning for breakfast. My dad and husband get a fresh baked biscuit (I know, NASTY and PURE TOXIC) loaded with sausage, egg, and cheese (atleast all of these lovelies are locally sourced products). Dad gets bottled water (there's a plus, I suppose) and Korey either gets bottled green tea or his new obsession pomegranite aloe vera juice (with the pulp because he loves to "chew" his juice--interesting, right?!). I always get 3 local, hard-boiled eggs and make a little salad of fresh greens, shredded carrots and balsamic. If they have it on the hot bar, I may get some sauteed veggies. Okay here's the breakdown: Dad's running total every week is $3.69; Korey cashes in at $4.68 if he gets his pulp juice or $4.28 if he goes with bottled tea; mine is priced by weight and the bar there is $5.99/lb, leaving me with a total of less than $3.00 every week. While they are indulging on loads of bread (I mean, there are new borns smaller than these buscuits!) along with all of that pork and egg-age (not a bad thing but not that great when combined with all that refined flour), I am enjoying a protein- and healthy fat-rich snack with a little complex carb on the side--AND FOR A LOT CHEAPER!!! Who can argue with me now, huh?! And this is just one tiny example of how eating healthy, cutting out the junk and sticking with pure ingredients as nature and our genes intended can actually save your life AND SAVE YOU MONEY!
Let me just also mention that since I've made my primal transition, our grocery bill is almost half of what it used to be. JUST SAYING!
That's all I really want to tackle this week. I think I've reached my quota on soapbox height!
I'm a full time manager and personal trainer at a private training studio. I train roughly 40 sessions per week on top of all my other duties associated with my job. I probably clock in atleast 60 hours in a given week, tending to all that needs to be done around the studio--not to mention starting my days in Greensboro at 5:30 in the mornings and staying some nights until 7:30! It's sad to say, but I sometimes see some of my clients during the day light hours more than I see my own husband. But, you know what, I'll go ahead and nip one excuse in the bud: Exercise is a priority and if being healthy is important to you, you'll make time for it. Given what I've just said about my daily regimen (and that's just a nugget of info), I still make time to exercise. If I didn't I'd not only go insane, but I'd have no time for ME to keep ME healthy. And if I'm not healthy, neither is my professional life and my performance at work will suffer. Every time I hear the excuse that there's not enough time to exercise I want to literally scream. Another nugget: My workouts NEVER last more than about 40-45 minutes, and that's on a long day. If you're telling me that you can't carve that our of your busy day a few times a week, you don't want to be healthy! Period.
Second excuse to conquer: Eating healthy is too time consuming and I can't find the time to eat. First of all, I can't overcome the notion of not being able to find the time to eat. I LOVE TO EAT and I will make damn sure I eat when I need to. What's not to like about EATING OFTEN IS A GOOD THING and EATING OFTEN WILL HELP YOU BURN FAT?! I hear all the time that folks can't seem to figure out how to snack during the day. Oh, and don't get me started on the "I don't eat breakfast" deal! That's my favorite meal of the day, and there's no way in HELL I'm starting my day off in a fasted state! I wake up hungry--as you should. You just spent HOURS fasting and your body and mind need a boost to make for a great day. Not to mention this low blood sugar state is no good for your adrenal health and actually puts more stress on you than it's worth. Note: Skipping breakfast to "cut calories and lose weight" is a FALACY and should not be attempted, and not under the supervision of a doctor either! Bottom line: You have to eat the right combination of things at the time right times to lose weight, feel great, and remain energetic. Period.
The final excuse I'll tackle today has to do with the excuse that eating healthy is "too expensive." Case in point: My husband, my daddy, and I all go out to our local co-op every Sunday morning for breakfast. My dad and husband get a fresh baked biscuit (I know, NASTY and PURE TOXIC) loaded with sausage, egg, and cheese (atleast all of these lovelies are locally sourced products). Dad gets bottled water (there's a plus, I suppose) and Korey either gets bottled green tea or his new obsession pomegranite aloe vera juice (with the pulp because he loves to "chew" his juice--interesting, right?!). I always get 3 local, hard-boiled eggs and make a little salad of fresh greens, shredded carrots and balsamic. If they have it on the hot bar, I may get some sauteed veggies. Okay here's the breakdown: Dad's running total every week is $3.69; Korey cashes in at $4.68 if he gets his pulp juice or $4.28 if he goes with bottled tea; mine is priced by weight and the bar there is $5.99/lb, leaving me with a total of less than $3.00 every week. While they are indulging on loads of bread (I mean, there are new borns smaller than these buscuits!) along with all of that pork and egg-age (not a bad thing but not that great when combined with all that refined flour), I am enjoying a protein- and healthy fat-rich snack with a little complex carb on the side--AND FOR A LOT CHEAPER!!! Who can argue with me now, huh?! And this is just one tiny example of how eating healthy, cutting out the junk and sticking with pure ingredients as nature and our genes intended can actually save your life AND SAVE YOU MONEY!
Let me just also mention that since I've made my primal transition, our grocery bill is almost half of what it used to be. JUST SAYING!
That's all I really want to tackle this week. I think I've reached my quota on soapbox height!
Monday, September 26, 2011
I'd rather take a cab...
So this is a SOAPBOX edition today. Have you seen the new campaign(s) for Subway lately? You know, the ones with all the healthy options, including the NEW yogurt parfait along with several other breakfast choices, touting the slogan that goes something along the lines of "Where the athletes eat..." (not exact words but something similar)?
Let me start off by saying that the one time my husband has had food poisoning, the culprit was known to be the "rainbow meat" (he calls it that) from Subway. There's a reason he calls it "rainbow meat": If you hold it just right in the light, a sparkling, shimmery rainbow pattern glistens the surface of this ever-so-processed "meat." It makes me sick just to think of it--probably not as much as him, though! Here's the thing, if anything ever qualified as "meat," this wouldn't be it. Take a look at the following ingredients (posted right on their site for all to see):
Let me start off by saying that the one time my husband has had food poisoning, the culprit was known to be the "rainbow meat" (he calls it that) from Subway. There's a reason he calls it "rainbow meat": If you hold it just right in the light, a sparkling, shimmery rainbow pattern glistens the surface of this ever-so-processed "meat." It makes me sick just to think of it--probably not as much as him, though! Here's the thing, if anything ever qualified as "meat," this wouldn't be it. Take a look at the following ingredients (posted right on their site for all to see):
- HAM (Black Forest): Ham cured with: water, dextrose, salt, potassium lactate, contains 2% or less modified food starch (derived from corn), sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, smoke flavoring, sodium nitrite. May contain: seasoning [potassium chloride, pork stock, sugar, yeast extract, salt, lactic acid, fructose, sunflower oil, cysteine HCL, calcium lactate, modified food starch, flavors, grill flavor (from sunflower oil), polysorbate 80, rendered pork fat, and smoke flavor], hydrolyzed corn protein, autolyzed yeast extract, modified food starch, acacia gum, sunflower oil, tricalcium phosphate, silicon dioxide, spices and sulfites.
- BEEF: Beef, beef broth (water, beef stock), seasoning (hydrolyzed soy protein, salt, dextrose, modified corn starch, sodium phosphates, beef extract, soy sauce powder [soy sauce (soybeans, salt, alcohol) maltodextrin, salt], yeast extract, natural and artificial flavor, grill flavor [maltodextrin, grill flavor (from vegetable oil), modified corn starch, corn syrup solids]), beef flavor (water, natural flavors, beef fat, gelatin/gum arabic coacervate, xanthan gum, citric acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and soybean oil). Rubbed with: salt, maltodextrin, modified corn starch, dextrose, caramel color, beef extract, garlic powder, onion powder, natural flavor. May contain tomato, lemon, onions, peppers,Contains soy.
- TURKEY: Turkey breast, turkey broth, contains 2% or less of: carrageenanan, dextrose, modified food starch (derived from corn), salt, seasoned salt (salt, sodium diacetate, flavoring), sodium lactate, sodium phosphate. * Browned in soybean oil. May contain: seasonings (modified corn starch, dextrose, salt, carrageenan, sodium diacetate
If you're all like me and have any sort of food allergies (most of us do, some of you just may not know it!)...avoid this LIKE THE PLAGUE! I'm pretty sure the meat I eat at my house has one simple ingredient!
Allow me to touch on their nutritious breakfast options; but, may I add first that I can't even imagine the thought of having breakfast at Subway--it just seems odd! In their attempt to touch on all the needs of the American population, they offer a "regular" egg omelet "patty" and one made of egg whites. Here's the lovely ingredient list for those gems:
- EGG OMELET PATTY (Regular): Whole Eggs, Egg Whites, Water, Nonfat Dry Milk, Premium Egg Blend (isolated pea product, salt, citric acid, dextrose, guar gum, xanthan gum, extractive of spice, propylene glycol and not more than 2% calcium silicate and glycerin to prevent caking), Soybean Oil, Butter Alternative (liquid and hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, beta carotene (color), TBHQ and citric acid added to protect flavor, dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent added), Salt, Beta-Carotene (color).Contains eggs, milk and soy.
- EGG WHITE OMELET PATTY: Egg whites, artificial butter oil (soybean oil, artificial flavor), modified corn starch. Contains less than 2% of the following: dicalcium phosphate, salt, xanthan gum, white pepper. Contains eggs.
Let's hop on the breakfast parfait bandwagon shall we Subway? I don't know where we got the notion that such a thing could be considered a health food. It was probably decided by the same panel that gave the stamp of approval to bagels, muffins, and wraps (and, YES, I'm bashing all of them, "whole wheat" or not!!!). This cup-o-joy for your morning commute contains 24 grams of sugar and a host of allergens for all my allergy-rific peeps out there. It may only have 164 calories (for those of you who are calorie-obsessed); but I'd rather get my calories from something other than a boat load of sugar that's only going to have me crashing 2-3 hours after I eat it!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Proud parent...
In case you didn't know, Korey and I own 11 hens and 2 roosters--turns out that one of the original dozen "hens" we bought back in May happens to have been born a boy! Long story short: he's found himself now. He and BC (our actual rooster) are starting to be at odds with one another...you know, kinda how two pimps would be fighting over 11 hoes. Well, anyway, we've been waiting what seems like forever for eggs. This particular breed of chicken, we were told, is supposed to lay around 310 eggs EACH per year, starting around age 6 months. When we purchased them in May we were under the impression that they were already 4 months old. You do the math: that means in only 2 months time, I'd be in egg heaven, right? I've safely deduced that my hens were NOT that old when we bought them. As a matter of fact, the actual rooster we purchased separately was supposed to have been the same age and the hens. He started crowing a good 2 months before our other rooster came out!
Where am I going with this, you ask? You'll see...
Tuesday afternoon I go out to their house to let them out to roam around and THERE...like a shining nugget that had fallen straight from Heaven, a small, lonesome egg shone in the corner of the chickens' house. I swear to you it had light beaming off of it like a pot at the end of my long awaited rainbow. Keep in mind, this is now the end of September! These hens had been getting threats from me to be put on the spit for a couple of months by this point if they didn't get to producin'!
Back to my egg! Of course, being married and somewhat skeptical about whether or not my husband was tyring to by "funny," my first thought was, "This better not be a trick Korey is trying to play on me because I will certainly kick his ass when he gets home!" Then rationality kicked back in and a huge smile came across my face; I was elated--just like a new mommy (well, as close to one as I could have gotten at that point)! I brought in the treasure, took a picture and sent it to everyone that I thought may give a smidge of a damn and would be happy for me. Everyone was! And yes, I'm a HUGE DORK. I realize this.
What's next? Well, one of the chickens has laid at least one more egg, yesterday as a matter of fact--this one slightly bigger than the first. In a way I'm a little sad because we have to break the news to the "egg man" that we buy our eggs from locally. We typically buy 3 dozen from him and his wife every Sunday (Korey and I are egg-ivores if there were such things--we go through a TON each week).
The point of this little story isn't to allow you to see just how darn domesticated I am. The point is to discuss the value of being able to have things that are given to you by nature, organically created, and tended to with nurture and care. All of the attention, money, you name it, has gone into the creation of not just that first little jewel but into the creation of many a meal, snack, hors deuvers--all from 20 yards away from my front door. I know what goes into the chickens, how they are allowed to roam around as they wish and I know that the eggs they eventually give me will be 1000 fold more nutritious than any egg purchased at any grocery store. Even the "organic, omega-3" eggs can't hold a candle to these babies!
Now for the nutrition part...
There are few things on this planet that are more nutritious than an egg. Egg's have gotten such a bad reputation over the years via conventional wisdom and doctors telling us not to eat them if we wanted to keep our cholesterol down. That evil yolk of deadly saturated fat quickly became the target of much criticism. So society's answer: cut eggs of your diet and if you dare eat anything resembling an egg, it must come from a carton in the form of a liquidy jelly-like substance, colored with yellow number 40 to trick our minds into thinking we're consuming an egg.
An egg is a solid source of protein, easily digested protein for that matter (unless you're allergic to them, that is!) and contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Guess what? There is no significant like between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease! So, doc, you can take that and shove your theory on dietary intake of cholesterol you know where. Eggs are great for your eyesight since they are high in lutein and zeaxanthin. The choline found in eggs is a powerful nutrient to help the body protect itself from damage to the brain, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Eggs (the yolk mainly) is one of very few sources of naturally occurring vitamin D. Speaking of the yolk, EAT IT! Yes, it's the FAT in the egg, and YES it houses the cholesterol. If you remember nothing, try to remember this: there is no actual length between dietary cholesterol intake and serum cholesterol levels (the level you have tested each year during your annual exam)! Repeat that to yourself and REMEMBER IT! The yolk is a source of healthy fat and is also crammed with all sorts of vitamins and minerals. Just a factoid that goes right along with this discussion: No you don't need a rooster for hens to lay eggs (I've gotten this question a LOT). However, if the egg is fertilized by the rooster that increases the nutrition of the egg that much more. I don't want to know the source or the mechanism that makes it that way (probably am safer not knowing) but it's true. How do you tell: when you crack the egg, there will be a tiny red dot on the yolk. That's all I'm going to say regarding the nutrition.
I can't think of many better ways to start off a day other than with some fresh, organic, freely-roaming chicken eggs. I look forward to the umpteen hundred I'll get yearly from my brood! Note: I'll have PLENTY to go around...keep this in mind if you'd like to give home-grown eggs a try, I may need some folks to help get them off my hands!
Where am I going with this, you ask? You'll see...
Tuesday afternoon I go out to their house to let them out to roam around and THERE...like a shining nugget that had fallen straight from Heaven, a small, lonesome egg shone in the corner of the chickens' house. I swear to you it had light beaming off of it like a pot at the end of my long awaited rainbow. Keep in mind, this is now the end of September! These hens had been getting threats from me to be put on the spit for a couple of months by this point if they didn't get to producin'!
Back to my egg! Of course, being married and somewhat skeptical about whether or not my husband was tyring to by "funny," my first thought was, "This better not be a trick Korey is trying to play on me because I will certainly kick his ass when he gets home!" Then rationality kicked back in and a huge smile came across my face; I was elated--just like a new mommy (well, as close to one as I could have gotten at that point)! I brought in the treasure, took a picture and sent it to everyone that I thought may give a smidge of a damn and would be happy for me. Everyone was! And yes, I'm a HUGE DORK. I realize this.
What's next? Well, one of the chickens has laid at least one more egg, yesterday as a matter of fact--this one slightly bigger than the first. In a way I'm a little sad because we have to break the news to the "egg man" that we buy our eggs from locally. We typically buy 3 dozen from him and his wife every Sunday (Korey and I are egg-ivores if there were such things--we go through a TON each week).
The point of this little story isn't to allow you to see just how darn domesticated I am. The point is to discuss the value of being able to have things that are given to you by nature, organically created, and tended to with nurture and care. All of the attention, money, you name it, has gone into the creation of not just that first little jewel but into the creation of many a meal, snack, hors deuvers--all from 20 yards away from my front door. I know what goes into the chickens, how they are allowed to roam around as they wish and I know that the eggs they eventually give me will be 1000 fold more nutritious than any egg purchased at any grocery store. Even the "organic, omega-3" eggs can't hold a candle to these babies!
Now for the nutrition part...
There are few things on this planet that are more nutritious than an egg. Egg's have gotten such a bad reputation over the years via conventional wisdom and doctors telling us not to eat them if we wanted to keep our cholesterol down. That evil yolk of deadly saturated fat quickly became the target of much criticism. So society's answer: cut eggs of your diet and if you dare eat anything resembling an egg, it must come from a carton in the form of a liquidy jelly-like substance, colored with yellow number 40 to trick our minds into thinking we're consuming an egg.
An egg is a solid source of protein, easily digested protein for that matter (unless you're allergic to them, that is!) and contains all nine of the essential amino acids. Guess what? There is no significant like between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease! So, doc, you can take that and shove your theory on dietary intake of cholesterol you know where. Eggs are great for your eyesight since they are high in lutein and zeaxanthin. The choline found in eggs is a powerful nutrient to help the body protect itself from damage to the brain, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Eggs (the yolk mainly) is one of very few sources of naturally occurring vitamin D. Speaking of the yolk, EAT IT! Yes, it's the FAT in the egg, and YES it houses the cholesterol. If you remember nothing, try to remember this: there is no actual length between dietary cholesterol intake and serum cholesterol levels (the level you have tested each year during your annual exam)! Repeat that to yourself and REMEMBER IT! The yolk is a source of healthy fat and is also crammed with all sorts of vitamins and minerals. Just a factoid that goes right along with this discussion: No you don't need a rooster for hens to lay eggs (I've gotten this question a LOT). However, if the egg is fertilized by the rooster that increases the nutrition of the egg that much more. I don't want to know the source or the mechanism that makes it that way (probably am safer not knowing) but it's true. How do you tell: when you crack the egg, there will be a tiny red dot on the yolk. That's all I'm going to say regarding the nutrition.
I can't think of many better ways to start off a day other than with some fresh, organic, freely-roaming chicken eggs. I look forward to the umpteen hundred I'll get yearly from my brood! Note: I'll have PLENTY to go around...keep this in mind if you'd like to give home-grown eggs a try, I may need some folks to help get them off my hands!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
So, I probably have done everything under the sun when it comes to cardiovascular activity: jogged/walked, cadio-kickboxed, high-intensity stepped, sprinted, stair-climbed (all for countless hours at a time)--you name it, I've done it. This includes gut-wrenching hours on the pavement of the streets of Greensboro, pounding out what seemed like endless miles. And for what? Okay, so there is that fact that I can say I've completed a marathon and 3 half marathons; BUT, aside from that, it didn't grant me anything other than dreadful, BORING, pretty much useless time wasted. You go into these "things" thinking, "I'm going to get fit and look great and I'm going to do by way of (fill in the blank)." Let's make this clear and simple: More is NOT better! I can tell you this from experience.
You already know that I did the whole "I'm-gonna-lose-weight-by-going-vegan" thing, remember? Well, at the same point in my life I decided to make another ridiculous decision and that was to start training for lengthy races--my first being a half marathon. Long story short, not only was I depriving my body of much-needed nutrients that even a sedentary person would need to remain in okay health, but I was doing this while putting my body through hours of undue and unjust stress without giving it what it needed to operate at it's peak or to fully recover from all of that running. I was literally breaking myself down on the inside and not seeing a damn bit of difference on the outside other than I started to look more "soft" than I did before I made those two not-well-thought-out (or well-educated) choices.
Long before this time in my life, back when I first got the initiative to start trying to lose weight, I definitely fell into the trap that I needed to not only eat less but MOVE MORE to get results. Picture me: NCSU student gym; 30 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes on the bike, 30 minutes on the treadmill; 1-hour long aerobic group exercise class; 15 minute abdominal group exercise class. YUP, that's all in one day folks! It's that MORE IS BETTER frame of mind we've all been conditioned to at some point. Yes, I'll admit I got results initially. This statement is analogous with any trendy diet: You'll lose weight initially because you've either got excess to lose or your body has to take time to adapt to whatever it is you're doing that's different--or in some cases, BOTH. But then what happens? It all comes to a screeching halt. You're left asking yourself, "But I've done (fill in the blank) for umpteen hours EVERYDAY and the scale is not moving! What is going on here?"
We've all been there if you're like me and have tried to lose weight before. Well, frankly it's taken me quite a while to break down the conventional-thinking wall that we need to spend several hours a week stomping it out on a treadmill or going 500 miles on a bike the whole time you're at the gym. A huge factor that feeds into the dread of doing these activities has nothing to do with the time spent doing it--it's WHAT YOU'RE DOING! Simply put, if you don't like the activity, you're not going to want to do it, and you're not going to feel good while you're doing it, AND you'll dread the next time you'll "have to" do it before you even finish the time you're spending while doing it! So ask yourself why spend so much time doing something that you HATE (I prefer the term LOATHE!) when you're really not benefitting physically or psychologically.
What really pisses me off is that the notion that we need to eat less and move more is still all that's being touted through the media! Now, don't get me wrong--this principal definately applies to the woman whose currently trying to become the world's fattest woman (a soapbox subject on its own for me), with her weighing 1500 and some odd pounds by eating 20,000 calories a day. Unfortunately she's near her goal, so maybe that's what matters? But anyway, I digress! Back to the notion of eating less and moving more for optimal health.
Eating less we can get into on a later date. Moving more, I've already briefly touched on that. Moving is good, really good. Finding something you enjoy doing that incorporates lots of moving is even better. Sports of any kind, for example, are a great choice especially if it involves a lot of full-body movement and gets the heart rate up for a period of time. Here's where it's sticky from a "fun" stand point: Though you need to find movement you enjoy, you should also incorporate other movements that truthfully suck while you're doing them BUT are over quickly and make you feel energized when you're done. "What are you speaking of, some sort of torture is what it sounds like?" I know this is what you're thinking and some people, including myself at times, could equate these types of activities with torture! I'm talking about fast, quick, ass-busting (not literally, just figuratively!) sprints--whether in the form of running out or inside, biking, cycling, ellipticaling (I just made up a word). Whatever the equipment, even if it just you, your own body, and a hill, move your weight from one point to another as fast as you can.........and then rest. Rest only as long as necessary to move your weight again from one point to another as fast as you can.........and rest again. Easy enough, right? This is the type of "cardio" our ancestors did when sprinting to either run after their dinner or run in an effort to not become dinner! What this means is that this is how our genes were made to perform: short, intense bursts with periods of rest. What this also means is that (given that you're working at optimal intensity) your "cardio" sessions could be cut down to as little as 15 minutes! Starting to sound maybe a little less like torture, right?
I find it quite refreshing to start and end a cardio workout within 20 minutes or so--sure does beat those hour-and-some-odd-minute long bouts. YES IT SUCKS while I'm busting my arse at 10.0 mph intervals on the treadmill; BUT, not only do I get rest between those sprints, my body welcomes the challenge and thanks me by BURNING FAT for fuel after I'm done! Not sure about you, but I love reaping that benefit. I can honestly say that since the lightbulb went on for me in regards to how to do cardio, I have been in the best cardiovascular shape of my life and have never been so lean (and MEAN some would say!). It's definitely worth the challenge; it sucks, but you're done in 20! Can't argue with that!
You already know that I did the whole "I'm-gonna-lose-weight-by-going-vegan" thing, remember? Well, at the same point in my life I decided to make another ridiculous decision and that was to start training for lengthy races--my first being a half marathon. Long story short, not only was I depriving my body of much-needed nutrients that even a sedentary person would need to remain in okay health, but I was doing this while putting my body through hours of undue and unjust stress without giving it what it needed to operate at it's peak or to fully recover from all of that running. I was literally breaking myself down on the inside and not seeing a damn bit of difference on the outside other than I started to look more "soft" than I did before I made those two not-well-thought-out (or well-educated) choices.
Long before this time in my life, back when I first got the initiative to start trying to lose weight, I definitely fell into the trap that I needed to not only eat less but MOVE MORE to get results. Picture me: NCSU student gym; 30 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes on the bike, 30 minutes on the treadmill; 1-hour long aerobic group exercise class; 15 minute abdominal group exercise class. YUP, that's all in one day folks! It's that MORE IS BETTER frame of mind we've all been conditioned to at some point. Yes, I'll admit I got results initially. This statement is analogous with any trendy diet: You'll lose weight initially because you've either got excess to lose or your body has to take time to adapt to whatever it is you're doing that's different--or in some cases, BOTH. But then what happens? It all comes to a screeching halt. You're left asking yourself, "But I've done (fill in the blank) for umpteen hours EVERYDAY and the scale is not moving! What is going on here?"
We've all been there if you're like me and have tried to lose weight before. Well, frankly it's taken me quite a while to break down the conventional-thinking wall that we need to spend several hours a week stomping it out on a treadmill or going 500 miles on a bike the whole time you're at the gym. A huge factor that feeds into the dread of doing these activities has nothing to do with the time spent doing it--it's WHAT YOU'RE DOING! Simply put, if you don't like the activity, you're not going to want to do it, and you're not going to feel good while you're doing it, AND you'll dread the next time you'll "have to" do it before you even finish the time you're spending while doing it! So ask yourself why spend so much time doing something that you HATE (I prefer the term LOATHE!) when you're really not benefitting physically or psychologically.
What really pisses me off is that the notion that we need to eat less and move more is still all that's being touted through the media! Now, don't get me wrong--this principal definately applies to the woman whose currently trying to become the world's fattest woman (a soapbox subject on its own for me), with her weighing 1500 and some odd pounds by eating 20,000 calories a day. Unfortunately she's near her goal, so maybe that's what matters? But anyway, I digress! Back to the notion of eating less and moving more for optimal health.
Eating less we can get into on a later date. Moving more, I've already briefly touched on that. Moving is good, really good. Finding something you enjoy doing that incorporates lots of moving is even better. Sports of any kind, for example, are a great choice especially if it involves a lot of full-body movement and gets the heart rate up for a period of time. Here's where it's sticky from a "fun" stand point: Though you need to find movement you enjoy, you should also incorporate other movements that truthfully suck while you're doing them BUT are over quickly and make you feel energized when you're done. "What are you speaking of, some sort of torture is what it sounds like?" I know this is what you're thinking and some people, including myself at times, could equate these types of activities with torture! I'm talking about fast, quick, ass-busting (not literally, just figuratively!) sprints--whether in the form of running out or inside, biking, cycling, ellipticaling (I just made up a word). Whatever the equipment, even if it just you, your own body, and a hill, move your weight from one point to another as fast as you can.........and then rest. Rest only as long as necessary to move your weight again from one point to another as fast as you can.........and rest again. Easy enough, right? This is the type of "cardio" our ancestors did when sprinting to either run after their dinner or run in an effort to not become dinner! What this means is that this is how our genes were made to perform: short, intense bursts with periods of rest. What this also means is that (given that you're working at optimal intensity) your "cardio" sessions could be cut down to as little as 15 minutes! Starting to sound maybe a little less like torture, right?
I find it quite refreshing to start and end a cardio workout within 20 minutes or so--sure does beat those hour-and-some-odd-minute long bouts. YES IT SUCKS while I'm busting my arse at 10.0 mph intervals on the treadmill; BUT, not only do I get rest between those sprints, my body welcomes the challenge and thanks me by BURNING FAT for fuel after I'm done! Not sure about you, but I love reaping that benefit. I can honestly say that since the lightbulb went on for me in regards to how to do cardio, I have been in the best cardiovascular shape of my life and have never been so lean (and MEAN some would say!). It's definitely worth the challenge; it sucks, but you're done in 20! Can't argue with that!
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