Bad News

This is kind of sad, but I have not been as diligent as I should have been and weight has crept back on! I am recommitting as I know I am a prime candidate for diabetes! I will be posting my journey. There have been some stressful things and also I have been traveling but there should be no excuses. It just goes to show how if you change your habits, you change your life!

Great Snack Ideas

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One of the best finds ever!

In Belly Fat Cure, Gorge talks about belly fat sometimes being caused by constipation. This great tea is perfect. Let it steep at least 10 min. Drink before bed and no more belly fat the next day!!

You can buy it in most grocery stores.

EASTER DINNER

For Easter dinner we had
Ham  (mustard)
Roast potatoes
Butternut squash
broccoli
Salad
    bacon
    cherry tomatoes
    grated cheese
    boiled egg
    blue cheese dressing
Homemade buns/rolls
peach cobbler with unsweetened peaches

Someone also gave me bernard callebaut chocolates and I did have a few of those too. But not the whole box and mostly dark chocolate.

So yes, we had a little bread and sugar. But I feel like I got my fix for awhile! It was WAY less then I would've had before.

daily menus

2 Scrambled eggs, sauted yellow peppers, grape tomotes, feta cheese

2 sausages

zip fizz

lunch:

side ceaser salad (pretty small)

zip fizz

snack:

4 small chocolate squares

Dinner:

1 1/2 pieces tilapia filets

sweet potato fries (15)

brussel sprouts

Snack:

1/2 banana

Breakfast:

Protein Shake

2 scoops Protein powder (body by VI)

1 T cocoa

1 T peanut butter (natural, no sugar)

10 oz Unsweetened almond milk

Ice cubes

Mix in Blendtec Blender or Vita Mix

Lunch

2 cheese string (string cheese)

1 apple

1 Protein Bar (see recipe)

Dinner

Taco bowl 

Rice

taco meat ground beef

refried beans

tomatoes

lettuce

guacamole

Snack:

4 chocolate sq.

This is what I ate today

Breakfast:

I only ate 1 banana. I was in a huge hurry.

Lunch:

Snack: 

Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa (4 squares)

This is my go to replacement for diet coke. I LOVE IT!!! In a large clear starbucks cup with the green straw!

Dinner

chicken ravioli from Costco, Rose sauce (no sugar added) Costco,

Turkey sausage Costco 

I know, pasta has flour in it. I don't eat it often but it's not bread and it's not sugar!

It's probably why the weight came off so slow. But I don't feel deprived!!

SNACKS:

18 Popcorners has 2 g sugar. (costco)

I'll probably have 1/2 C pistachios before bed. (Costco)

Great recipe

Protein Bars


2 cups almond butter or organic peanut butter.
6 Tbsp honey
1cup protein powder
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/2 cup chia seeds
3Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup water (or till moist)

Press into 9*13 pan. (press down hard)

Spread thin coating of dark chocolate on top (1 C. 

Semisweet Chocolate chips works) 

Cut into 24 pieces. Wrap separately in plastic wrap.

Put in fridge then once hardened put in freezer. They 

will go moldy fast if not kept cold. 188 cal per bar.

Here's how it all started

Two years ago I just felt terrible. I was exhausted and plain just didn't feel well, every day. After realizing that drinking 5 large McDonald's diet cokes might not be the best thing for me, I decided to give up diet coke. I replaced it with Fresca, Diet A&W Root Beer, Perrier and Zip Fizz. I only drink it when I go to the movies. I have to admit, I did not really feel any different going off of it. But I knew it had to be better for my body. Then, I saw a holistic MD that put me on thyroid meds. That helped a lot. I woke up one morning and felt like myself again. I was excited because I thought I would lose weight. When I didn't I went back to the definition of insanity and thought I needed to make a change. At about this time I met a wonderful friend who told me about Belly Fat Cure and about the same time I read Wheat Belly. I figured I might as well live like I have diabetes rather then get it!!

I also gained weight and no matter what I did I couldn't lose it. I ran a half marathon and didn't shed a pound. It's not running 13.1 miles that should have helped me lose weight, it's the weekly training leading up to half marathon. Then I went on 4 hour body which is excellent. I lost 5 lbs the first 2 weeks and gained it back the next two. I was doing it PERFECT! The end result left me very discouraged. One month of total restricted eating to not lose one pound.

My neighbor was driving to work one day and couldn't see anything. He literally went blind. He went to the Dr. right away where they diagnosed him with Diabetes. After going to the nutrition counsellor with his wife, they changed what they were eating. She told me that the first week she didn't see a difference, neither the 3rd or 5th week, But the 6th week, things started to change and she did notice a difference. I knew that whatever I did, I needed to be patient. I decided I wasn't going to weigh myself very often. Like once a month.

On Jan 4, 2014 I decided I was going off Bread and Sugar. Jan 5, I was at a birthday brunch for a friend and two people walked in who looked fabulous. My friend said, "What's your secret?" They said, "DON'T START!"

You never have to stop what you don't start. I did a really good job of no bread, no sugar for about 5 months. I did have exceptions but ONLY occasionally. I've been doing it over a year now and I feel 100% better. It might be a combination of everything I've done but I can never go back because I am so happy with the results. And if I am tempted I just say to myself, "don't start."

Apparently I need a little thyroid

In the fall of 2013 a doctor put me on desiccated Pig Thyroid. Apparently it is better for you then the synthetic kind. I just remember waking up a few weeks later feeling like myself again! Here's what happened:
1. My eyebrows started growing back.
2. I wasn't FREEZING anymore. (even in the summer, of course that's not saying much in Calgary)
3. I wasn't EXHAUSTED anymore.
4. I didn't have irrational anxiety.
5. I stopped getting cracked heels.
6. My Brain Fog is gone.

I expected that I would drop the weight since I felt so much better now. Surprise! I didn't! I do think that going off bread and sugar might not have had the same results had I not been on thyroid meds. This was another key factor on my journey to wellness.

BTW, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks your thyroid. It's genetic and my Dad had it. Add that to my genetic deficiencies!

A great book to read: Overcoming Thyroid disorders Davide Brownstein, MD

DIET COKE

Yes! This was me for as long as I can remember I've had a diet coke in my hand. My favorite was Sonic Route 44 with limes. This was my treat and my constant companion. In Canada it was McDonad's Diet Coke. They filter their water and it's pretty darn good!! Let's just say the drive through staff knew me. In fact, I dedicated a mile of my marathon to them.

I was drinking a lot of diet coke. I mean, A LOT of diet coke. It was when I was up to 4-5 large McDonald's diet cokes a day that I knew I had a problem. I decided to quit cold turkey. I only drink diet coke now at the movies. So I try to go to 2 movies a day!! Just Kidding! It was pretty hard because I had a pretty solid habit. I drank fresca instead and sparkling water. Then I found Zip Fizz. No aspartame, lots of vitamins and a little naturally occuring caffiene. I CAN NOT go back on it. EVER.

I lost my total identity and Coke stock dropped right after I gave it up. It did coincide with Costco going with Pepsi as well but I was drinking A LOT.

I do feel way better but I know it's a combination of a lot of things. I just can't go back to feeling the way I did. So GOOD BYE DIET COKE.

The definition of Insanity - Somethings gotta change

So a year ago my friend Ruth Fullmer told me about a book called The Belly Fat Cure. It's one thing to avoid eating the sugar you know you're eating but this book talks about hidden sugar. It's in everything!!! I also read Wheat Belly, so I decided if I couldn't lose weight I would have to live my life like I did have it so I wouldn't get it. So no bread, no sugar became my mantra. VERY slowly the weight started to come off. A few things changed.

Buy it here

1. My taste buds. The flavors in food were more pronounced. I can taste sugar now in things. If I'm eating out and I get it unknowingly my taste buds tell me.

2. I don't eat as much.

3. I don't feel sick when I go to bed anymore from overeating or eating the wrong kinds of food.

4. I like cheese now.

5. I eat dark chocolate every day.

6. Salad dressings have lots of sugar

7. I eat breakfast (usually 3 different ones)

It's become a lifestyle for me and I never want to go back.

KEY ELEMENTS:

Get the book Belly Fat Cure to find out how to stock your fridge and pantry. It's changing your go to things that really makes a difference. I carried snacks in my car so I wouldn't be tempted to eat something bad.

GO TO FOODS:

Cheese strings (Canada) String cheese (US)
pistachios
mixed unsalted nuts
Guacamole and no sugar tortilla chips (kirkland brand is good)
parmesan artichoke dip (Costco canada) with Super low sugar crackers
Red Pepper Hummus sugar snap peas
apple
celery natural peanut butter no sugar (costco)
Zip Fizz (costco USA)
Perrier with lemon or lime or plain


Breakfasts:

Body by Vi protein powder, ice, almond milk, natural peanut butter, cocoa, banana (optional)


Dinners:

hawaiian haystacks
spaghetti
Fish, hashbrowns/cheese, veggies, salad


Sometimes I do eat bread and sugar but it's the exception, not the rule.