#Wheatfree

2 weeks ago my boss bought me a book, Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD.

My boss has been following a gluton free lifestyle since her daughter was young, so well over 20 years. Over the past 2 years I have worked for her, she's told me more and more why and what caused the change (I think her daughter is a Cyliac).

Well after reading the book, (which pretty much makes it's point in the introduction) I decided to try this wheat free thing out.

I started the day Andrew left for training, so that would be Sunday, July 15, 2012. It has been 9 days now. I am down 4 lbs and (at last check on the weekend) 3 inches.

But that's not the greatest part, well it is, sort of. The greatest part is that I got past my plateau, I passed the banner that was my short term goal.

I am officially (as of this morning) 198 lbs! Now for most people that's not something to be boastful about, but my short term goal was to get under 200 lbs, from then under 190 lbs, then 180 lbs, and so on until I was hovering back around 130-140 (what I view as a healthy and attractive weight for me).

Now, even before I started my wheat free diet I was on a wheat free mission. I knew so many people who could use this (just like when I read Napoleon Hill's Interview with the Devil [is it reading if it's an audio book?]). One of my lucky moments was finding out I had a friend who already went Gluten free, and that's fellow blogger, Hello Little Deer. She's been giving me tips and tricks to help me along my way, plus a good dose of support! But I, because of my pre-diabetic nature and high insulin levels wanted to go totally wheat free.

I won't lie, in the beginning it was hard, I did have wheat on the brain, much like when I quit smoking nearly 2 years ago and couldn't think of anything but that seductive smoke. I fought against it, like I did with smoking (and won, by the way, with smoking at least), and only had meat, veggies, and dairy. Most of my meals consisting of a large salad and chicken breast. That gets tired real quick, in case you were wondering. The same meal (ok different salad dressing, big whoop!) day in day out. I was finding it hard to avoid the pasta, and bread, and oh the pizza and stuff crazy bread I loved so much. So I gave in and half of one of those mini ice cream sundays with cookies in it (cookies that have wheat). I immediately felt like crap, couldn't even finish the tiny cup of ice cream, and discovered what it means to be ignorant of the poison you were taking. I had, at that point, only been wheat free for half a week, and already my body was being affected by the reintroduction of wheat in such a way!

Since the weekend has passed and my aunt brought over some rice pasta, which though the consistency is a bit weird at first, is remarkably similar (and I checked the ingredients, wheat free and gluten free). I have found it alot easier to cope. One because I then took a better look around my local grocery store and found more gluten and wheat free alternatives. Because I am going wheat free as well as gluten free, i have a little bit less options. I am still avoiding any bread substitute because I don't want to tease myself, or rather feed the urge for bread, much like how I couldn't have a "fake" smoke while quitting smoking. Finding (not just being told) Wheat Free and Gluten free alternatives to my favorite foods (like perogies!!!!) was a godsend. It has made this whole change 10 times easier.

Now I will point out that it doesn't necessarily change my "boring" meal plan, these substitutes. My reason for that is simple, these substitutes are still (or can be) high in carbs, which is what I need to keep low for my PCOS and insulin levels. So once in a while they are good for curbing a craving, or a little "reward" for my good eating habits, hell even as a consolation "junk" meal for my husband when he's sick of salad and chicken... but it's not what every day meals should be made of, not if I want to keep up this true health kick.

So now that I'm well on my way to having a wheat free lifestyle, it's time to think about what I need to add to my life. I have talked, on and on, about adding exercise. yes I know I need to do it, and yeah, i always end up not doing it... so my solution, to do both. to add and not add. I've got a nifty little kettle weight I'm going to stick on my coffee table. If I'm watching TV, well every commercial I'll do some sets as I'm sitting or standing, watching the ads go past. Or if I'm playing video games, well the intermissions become my work out time. It's not exactly a vigorous work out, but I'm still doing more then I was before, and I can (theoretically) relax and work out at nearly the same time. Of course this doesn't work if I start watching only movies, or suddenly have to pee every commercial break - but I'll try and keep myself honest.

Active Weekends make for Attractive Weekdays

After my last post, Sedentary Lifestyle, I decided to do something about my lack of activity. So the weekend was filled with just that.

Friday night while my husband was half asleep I talked him into going for a run/jog with me in the morning... of course he wasn't aware he acquiesced to this until the morning of. He was none too happy about the idea of running right out of bed - but the bribe of Tim Hortons prevailed!

I wanted to do the Couch 2 5K run, but was annoyed by timing it, wanting to listen to my music, and running. I have an app on my phone that vibrates every time I have to switch it up, however I had it in my hoody pocket so I would barely feel it. I found out later that there are podcasts with music and timing built in. I have downloaded them and will try again on the weekend (yes I know I should run multiple times each week, but our lifestyles - right now- do not make that easy, so once a week will get me started).

Also finding podcasts brought me to a whole list of new discussions, podcasts, and Itunes University studies that I have downloaded and waiting for a moment to listen to.

Saturday afternoon my two young teen nieces came by, so the rest of the day involved crafts and Just Dance 3. We played about 2 hours of it, and I like to think I kept up pretty well with the young veterans of the game that my nieces are. I even beat them a few times! By Google's calculations one hour of Just Dance 3 burns about 370 calories, about the same as running. So I figure in all of Saturday I burned about 851 calories!

We then played board games until the wee hours of the morning, which honestly was just perfect!

Sunday I woke up sore, ate badly because mom made her amazing buttermilk pancakes, then hot dogs for lunch - so yeah, I wasn't exactly Ms. Healthy Eating. I didn't plan on doing any real exercise, despite promising the girls laser tag the night before, because of said soreness. Well after nearly 3 hours of RISK, in which I dominated for the first time, we switched it up, again, to Just Dance 3. Another 2.5 hours of that for me (and wow! 3 hours for the girls!) and I was beat! But again, that's approximately 925 calories for the day!

I'm already seeing a difference in my body, it may be slight, or just the way I'm feeling changing my posture, but I'm starting to get where I want to be!

The next few days are going to be really hard as mom is going in for surgery to remove what is left (after chemo and radiation) of her tumor. We are hoping and praying, and ask that anyone with religious affiliations pray to their respective gods or deities, that she comes out fine and can be "hooked back up" the way she was intended to run!

Sedentary Lifestyle

I have something to admit, I've been struggling.

The shakes are fine and easy, but I find myself wanting junk food more and more - and yet, I let myself have it every once in a while. But my big struggle is with exercise.

I've talked about this a couple times, and must keep talking about it until I truly hold myself accountable, until i find that thing that makes it click for me.

Let's face facts, I need to exercise. I sit for (on average) 7 out of the 7.5 hours at my day job, when I come home, what do I do? I sit and watch TV, or play video games. Then I sleep for 8 hours. In total I'm up and moving, what, maybe a total of 3 hours throughout the day. THAT IS RIDICULOUS! (also probably not exact math).

The fact is that I'm not supposed to be sitting that long. (as a person, not an employee, as an employee I have to), historically women have been up doing stuff, birthing children, raising said children, plowing fields, or doing whatever else they can - but not leading the kind of life I am now.

And sitting for the majority of your day isn't healthy either! Check out some of the bad things that are linked to it at Women's Magazine.

Now obviously I can't quit my job and start a life as a flagger or construction worker... well I could but that isn't what I want in my career, nor is what I spent the money to become. (nothing against female flaggers or constructions workers, you go girls!) So I need to get up and do something for the remaining 4 hours of day. Yeah, that sounds hard.

Here are somethings that I have planned in my life to get me up and moving:

1. Evening run after work (yeah I keep talking about it, I honestly mean to do the CouchTo5K [C25K]) 
2. Painting/Art - when I paint I tend to stand or am rolling around on an exercise ball. The point is that while I'm doing something I love, I'm still moving.
3. Exercise programs or classes - there are plenty that are offered at my local community centres. There's a bit of a wait as the winter classes are finishing and spring classes have yet to start, but getting registered and preparing to have that part of a weekly routine is good for me.
4. Kinect - I have some video games that must be played standing up, hell Andrew even has a hunting one that involves running in place and ducking while holding a Kinect Gun, not to mention the Just Dance 3 - which works up a damn good sweat!
5. Fun dates. We try and do this every week, whether it be just us or a group of friends. It's laser tag, bowling, (maybe paintball...we'll see), and adventure amusements that are offered locally.

So what do you do to get yourself moving after work?

Upheaval

Upon demands from one of my favorite bloggers, ex-roommate, DIY-er extraordinaire and general awesome person over at Hello Little Deer an update is very well warranted!

I've found myself struggling a bit with this new diet. The shakes are fine, and work quite well with my morning and afternoon routines..but the exercise, OH the exercise! The only free time I have is either when I am sleeping or after work - neither of those times do I feel very up for it.

I've committed myself to some pre-arranged dates for "fun" exercise. What I mean by fun is, of course, actual fun. Yep - laser tag, sampler fitness days run by my local community centre, fitness classes that are either dancing, or drumming, or something else in there to make it fun. But those are all in the future... I need something NOW!

I've complained before, and will again, about how much lack of enthusiasm I have for working out. I don't actually mind sitting on a treadmill, after I warm up I get into a bit of a competition with myself. I hate running outside, I originally thought, when walking the dog, that I could do that fine...but honestly he messed up my pace. heh.

I also have to admit that my life is in some upheaval. With mom's diagnosis of cancer, the subsequent treatments, and tests it's been a bit hard to get our schedules under control. I'm not blaming mom, she's now waiting for her surgery and detoxing from the radiation and chemo, so is back home and making dinners and home life is returning to normal. I've just found it hard to deal, whether coming to terms with her diagnosis, my inability to solve or help her, and more my inability to care for her - financial, emotionally, mentally... in the beginning I felt I could do it, but as others have stepped up I have felt my own inadequacies. 

The one thing I have noticed, now that normalcy is coming back, is how out of control my life gets when we're in upheaval. Not just what's in upheaval is out of control. ALL OF IT! Bills, food, exercise, hell even my moods, hobbies, etc. I haven't painted since January when mom started her treatment. It's not that I haven't felt the need, I have sketched and have been playing with a few sexy images to put down on chalk and charcoal....but it was as if i was too scared to actually do anything, as if living a normal life while mom was going through this was sacrilege.

So I've sat here planning, talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

It's easy to say money is the problem, can't afford the gym pass we want, can't afford this and that-  but that's bullshit! Honestly! We have some (somewhat ancient) exercise machines in the garage! If we could just get our asses in gear to clear out the space we need to use it, it would be perfect. And that would be another exercise too, cleaning out the garage!

Since I'm on the subject of upheaval in our lives the next one is me. I have been up heaving it. I would never consider myself to have itchy feet, or whatever it's called when you want to move all the time...but I find lately I've had that. Maybe it's an urge to escape the above mentioned upheaval in my life, maybe. I think it's more that I have found myself taking stock of where and what we are doing. I am 24, my husband is 23...I expected us, at this age, to be farther along. I expected Andrew and I to have  better careers, for me to be expecting our first child, to be owning our own home - something in there... and yet that's not reality.

We have talked and set in motion what we can, but there are things - like owning our own home, that just seem so impossible from where we are. I know it is, I have friends who do, and at younger ages then I...but for us, and our debts, it seems a pipe dream. The only solace I have is in the belief that jobs or work up north will somehow solve this problem. There were higher wages that are geared towards the high living cost, unlike here in the lower mainland where even earning nearly 30k you can't afford to live alone with any comfort. "Up North" has become a dream for me as well  - the answer to all that I view is incomplete in our life right now. But i think both Andrew and I are a bit scared - what if this dream is just that, and reality doesn't clear away these itchy feet, solve our problems, etc. I am lucky as I have an amazing husband who has and does entertain these ideas and even starts the motion towards them.

So now, as I mentioned before, with normalcy coming back down to us, I'm taking stock once more. I'm trying, very hard, to see the silver lining, or the light at the end of the tunnel here.

And I have to say, as the normalcy is coming back I've felt myself sinking back into my own skin. I am able to view the problems as today and try and find their solution, not just dream of a solution far away. I'm getting back to me.

And just in case you were wondering - though I'm not eating as healthy nor exercising as much as I would like the diet is still going well. last week I spent most of my time snacking on chips. Horrible! And I ended up gaining back the 3 lbs I lost the week before. BUT, I also lost 3.5 inches again. I'd rather see both numbers go down, but I can be happy this way. So this week changes it all. Hopefully I can talk in some laser tag with friends and family, I know next week is a big laser tag game with some girls I've met online in the area who are doing the same diet as me! I just need to fill up the rest of the 5 days with exercise and continue every week on that, and I should be good!

I leave you with the newest addition to my bedroom mirror - the saying that's been stuck in my head every time I just want to sit and watch TV at the end of my work day.

Do you have anything that gets you going when you feel you just can't do it? What are your tricks?

Struggles

We've been in the new year 4 weeks and some change. I feel like those 4 weeks have been an uphill battle since my resolutions were decided.

Weight loss has not come, though I feel smaller, it's still not showing any difference on the scale. Getting active hasn't happened. My addiction to Netflix and Bones has kept my ass firmly planted on the couch instead of where it belongs, on a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

I've been so tired that I haven't wanted to move from said couch. Or move anywhere. Or do anything. Blah.

I'm basically just rolling from place to place like a human Eeyore. It's sad. Very sad. I admit it.

I've started drinking lots more water and chewing on ice much more throughout the evening. During the 2nd week of January I was having problems with constant snacking. I've turned that around to constant snacking on ice. I do find myself less "hungry", and it just proves that I'm not hungry, but rather (like most people) dehydrated.

But I know I need to get my but in gear and do some exercise. We missed the deadline for some of the ones we wanted to take this month, so now it's on the search for something we can do that is fun, cheap (ish) and also exercise.

Topping our list is Lasertag (which can get it expensive), bike riding (if the weather clears up a bit... not likely), dancing (other businesses and people offer dance lessons, though there are dance nights we are still interested in), and bowling. Anything else you can think of?

I've also been thinking about my morning routine. Because I'm going to bed so late from watching TV, I need to start going to be earlier and making use of my Xbox Kinect and the fitness programs I have. if I get up early enough, there's no one in the house, and I can yoga my way into a (hopefully) more energized morning. Which maybe, just maybe, will get me out of these doldrums I have found myself in.

Cross your fingers for me that I actually do all this that I'm talking about - because right now I'm struggling just thinking about thinking about it.

Diet Dilemas

It's been a week since my last blog post about the #2012diet. It's going as well as any diet can be expected - I'm doing it, I'm not enjoying it....and there's no difference.

I know I can't expect a lot - I mean I'm not really exercising.

But I had a conversation with my husband last night that in a round about way talked about all the issues I'm having with my weight, how it effects not just how I see myself and how I feel, but what and who I am.

I feel like an A-Sexual person when I'm this weight. Aside from just feeling ugly and unattractive, the sheer exhaustion (of crating around my giant body?) has me way too tired to do anything.

Well that's how I feel. That's not what it is.

I know damn well that if I was to go exercise today, tomorrow morning I would have more energy so that I could do it again tomorrow, and so on and so forth.

But finding that magic key to get me up and at 'em that first time is almost impossible. Not because I can't find it, but because I'm battling myself.

I've talked to Andrew and we're going to try some of the community classes - I think first up is Taiko drumming. It's mixed up with some fitness, but it sounds damn cool. Their not that expensive for the classes, and it gives us a) something to do to get us fit, b) something to do together that is fun c) gets us out meeting new people. All things we need to do. High five for planning this! Now to do!

What do you do to get your butt off the couch and into the world?

Back in the Saddle

I'm back in the groove baby! No, not with writing, that has been blocked for a while now (though sci-fi ideas have been streaming in my head - a genre i would not normally find any interest in) and painting has died down as I have no current project running. No, I mean I am back in the groove of exercising! Yeah baby!

I have found out some interesting facts about how I work out... er what I burn when I am working out. The most amazing one is that 1 hour of casual racquetball (which is about what we usually play for every 2nd day) burns 636 calories. Like holy eff!

So let's take yesterday as an example. I ate 1158 calories (give or take a few)  I burnt 160 calories on treadmill and cycle. So I thought my total calorie number for the day was 998 cal. But I couldn't figure out what Racquetball would equal. Looked it up this morning and it turns out that my total calories for the day would be 362!

Um... ok that's only one meal. Basically. I had three well balanced meals yesterday (and a snack after working out as I figured I burned a sandwich's worth.

Is that right that i minus what I burned from what i ate? That seems logical.

Now. I do know I am not eating enough (though I am all for the fast weight loss, but I don't want my body to go into starvation mode!) I have read in a couple places that you should not go under 1,200 cal intake without medical supervision.
Also after doing a BMR calculation (which I found at Ask.com) I figured that to maintain my weight (chya like I want to do that) I should have an intake of 2208.83 calories. And to loose one pound one week I should be in taking 1708.83 calories. And I know it is unhealthy but I am aiming at the 1200 cal mark because well its 2 months and 2 weeks till the wedding, and I want to not have so many chins!

I am also taking vitamins. I figured my bout of being sick for nearly a month is because I drastically changed  my diet and didn't add any vitamins that I was now missing. I found a multivitamin for people losing weight. so went with that one (no name brand type deal so it was cheaper)

I know this is one boring blog entry, but I had to share it and share my excitement at getting back on the exercise train!

Excuse Me

Oh my poor, poor blog! I have been lacking in my attention to you this past week. But I have excuses reasons, I swear!

1. I have been too busy.
1. When I am at work, my boss is here giving me work so I can't slack off write delectable stories for you.
2. Aside from that when I am at home I am either busy keeping my mind of Andrew being gone, or doing some chore that I have been putting off for a year.
3. That is unless it is Monday, Wednesday or Saturday - in which case I am playing Racquetball and pumping iron (not really iron, it's like hydraulics and there's buttons and its awesome!)
2. I don't have anything interesting to write. OK that one is sort of a lie. I do, but with time constraints I don't want to rush it out and leave a less than spectacular blog entry sitting on the Internet (yes I realize I have done this a few times now)
3. I'm all bummed and end up going on and on about how much I miss Andrew and my life is, like, over until I see him again *eye roll*
4. That's actually all the excuses reasons I can think of right now.

It's not you, it's me. But just so you know, I'm going to try a lot harder! I'm going to try and nurse some amazing blog entry all day long, so that by the end of the day I have something worthwhile to put out there, something to make you proud of me, dearest blog.

Now, can I please go on to talk about more wedding stuff? No? Too bad, I'm the one doing the typing!

I have a wedding dress, this I have known for a while, but now I have a wedding dress that is being sized, and will be able to do up all the way because it will have all loops needed! 

Then mom surprised me last night with a headband with this SUPER cute flowery feathery thinger that I will remove so it can go in my hair (the flowery thing, not the headband) and maybe I will try a craft day thing and add some netting so it looks a bit more ol' school.

And invitations are DONE! hells yes! Though I keep remembering that there are people I forgot to add to the list, like my dad's best friend.

And all this talk about wedding stuff reminds me of our budget. Yes, that thing that has been like Marmee Noir ** lurking over my dreams and head like a nightmare/monster.  Well I figured out that we have it pretty good. The biggest expense we may have is food (well and the DJ, but can't do anything about that) so if the whole Andrew-work-in-Alberta deal doesn't work then we can always just suggest a potluck. Worked for my mom. And yeah it's not classy, but the important thing is Andrew and I, not the food, necessarily.

Speaking of Andrew and Alberta, looks like things are getting a bit better - he's taking 2 courses out there that he needs to work on the oil rigs. He'll be done them come the end of the week and can then call rigs he has already spoken to about jobs. This is exciting. I have very, very high hopes.

Speak of high hopes, which reminds me of wishes - wish me luck on pushing through this one part of my manuscript. As I mentioned before I am stuck, not blocked, but not excited to move forward. I guess it's the starting of being blocked. I may have to move past and hope that I can remedy it in the 2nd round of edits.

**Marmee Noir is a bad lady in Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake series

Edits, Tailors, and Exercise

Bum da da dum!

We met the tailor this morning. She is ah-mazing! We figured out that if we add crinoline to the dress that we may not even have to hem in! heck yes! that saves the awesome embroidery at the bottom as well as makes the resale better a bit better.

I then went to the gym and played a pretty decent game of racquetball then went up stairs to the cardio room where they have weight machines as well. And you know what? they have like BRAND NEW MACHINES. yes the old YMCA has brand new machines, newer in fact then our leisure center (which is where everybody goes when they want to check out other people 19 and under) but these machines at the Y had BUTTONS. Yeah that's right, you heard me, buttons. On the end of each handle there was a button, one to make the weight heavier, one to lessen it. There was also a little screen that told me what the weight was and how many reps i have done. Oh em gee, that brought my exercise to a whole nother game. I had  both hands ahead of me pressing buttons and imagining myself on some sort of star wars speed racer. Yeah my arms a bit sore, but it was fun.

Then there was editing. Last night I was editing for the first few times in a while. I edited and then I got stuck. I am at a scene that needs to be rewritten. There's a lot that needs to be added to it, but its boring to me. That shouldn't be good that what I need to write bores me? Its a transition chapter, needs the passing of time. But I want it to be fun, its supposed to be fun - my character is supposed be having fun, feeling strong, being single - she isn't bored with whats going on with her. So i guess I need to get in touch with why she isn't bored. I think this needs some research in fun by myself. Perfect timing with Andrew on his way to working in Alberta.

So I have my homework for my writing. have you ever had to give yourself homework for your WIP?

I leave you with a picture of Angelina Jolie, I'm thinking this style for wedding hair. Yeah, after the tailor visit my mind is still clearly stuck in wedding land!