Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Derailed by Birthday Cakes!
This weekend was very rough on my willpower. I had two third birthday parties to attend with my daughter. Of course I could have refused the pizza, hot dogs, and three kinds of cake, but despite my long weeks of self-discipline the little convincing voice of the Candida Monkey was loud and clear. Some of the excuses that ran through my mind were "you have been so good for so long, you deserve a treat", "it's a party, you should eat party food", "you wouldn't want to insult the hostess" and so on. Seriously, I thought I was over that. Still, I am back on track with a good solid plan for another Strict Week. Honestly I am starting to like eating this way. I am buzzing with energy and feeling very clear headed, even though I am nursing a 2 1/2 month old. Oh I miss bread and cheese from time to time, and I have always had a sweet tooth, but I find that sweetened things are so much stronger than I remember- even pasta sauce!
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Weigh-in Wednesday
Well, I have been at this for two and a half weeks and until last night my scale has remained relatively unchanged. This morning, however, I checked my weight to find that I dropped two pounds over night and am now sitting pretty at 228 lbs. This may not seem like a big deal but after two weeks of being so strict and not seeing any progress on the scale, I was pretty glad to see the weight coming off. That being said, even though I didn't lose pounds I have been losing width. I forgot to get a tape measure to see just where I was last week so I will start the measuring today. At this time my waist measures 44 inches around. Unacceptable! We are shooting for 32-34 inches.
I am interested to know, even though I was doing all I could to kick start the weight loss, why it has taken so long so gradually begin to work. I am going to write in to the Dr. Oz website to find out. He has been such an inspiration with his gradual and healthy weight loss programs. We'll see what they say.
In the meantime I am trying to stay the course and not succumb to temptation which is sometimes harder than others. This week I am taking a partial break from the Strict Week regimen and just trying to stick to my Lists. Even so, I find that I need to make detailed meal plans in order to maintain my discipline. Not necessarily a bad thing, just time-consuming. Let us see how things progress in the next week.
I am interested to know, even though I was doing all I could to kick start the weight loss, why it has taken so long so gradually begin to work. I am going to write in to the Dr. Oz website to find out. He has been such an inspiration with his gradual and healthy weight loss programs. We'll see what they say.
In the meantime I am trying to stay the course and not succumb to temptation which is sometimes harder than others. This week I am taking a partial break from the Strict Week regimen and just trying to stick to my Lists. Even so, I find that I need to make detailed meal plans in order to maintain my discipline. Not necessarily a bad thing, just time-consuming. Let us see how things progress in the next week.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
The Best Quinoa Salad
Sometimes it is hard to get inspired but other times inspiration hits like a bolt from the blue. I was happily struck by inspiration the other day when I created this salad. It has a large chunk of the components from List 1 (your daily dose of leafy greens, nuts, carrots, and whole grains) and this recipe makes enough to bring to a summer barbecue (and nobody will turn their nose up- I guarantee!). I hope you like it.
Asian Quinoa Salad
1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 c. broccoli florets, lightly steamed
1 can baby corn, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas (or other bean that you prefer), drained and rinsed
1 bag baby spinach
1 c. whole raw walnuts
Dressing:
1/4 c. rice vinegar (or sushi vinegar)
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 c. peanut butter
4 Tbs. orange juice
Prepare the quinoa by putting 1 c. dry quinoa into 2 c. cold water. Bring to a boil with the lid off and then stir, reduce heat to med-low, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the end of that time if the quinoa looks a bit mushy spread it out in a bowl to cool. Meanwhile, steam your broccoli until it is bright green and still crunchy, 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Compose your salad with everything except the walnuts and spinach and stir in the dressing. Make a bed of baby spinach in a broad bowl and pour the salad on top, then sprinkle walnuts on top.
This is a very pretty salad and so very healthy. One variation is to substitute the quinoa with cooked chow mein noodles and you've got an asian noodle salad.
If you prefer more of a mexican flavour you can substitute the broccoli with fresh tomato and avocado chunks, use black beans or kidney beans, and use the a light ranch dressing. Yum!
Asian Quinoa Salad
1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 c. broccoli florets, lightly steamed
1 can baby corn, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas (or other bean that you prefer), drained and rinsed
1 bag baby spinach
1 c. whole raw walnuts
Dressing:
1/4 c. rice vinegar (or sushi vinegar)
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 c. peanut butter
4 Tbs. orange juice
Prepare the quinoa by putting 1 c. dry quinoa into 2 c. cold water. Bring to a boil with the lid off and then stir, reduce heat to med-low, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. At the end of that time if the quinoa looks a bit mushy spread it out in a bowl to cool. Meanwhile, steam your broccoli until it is bright green and still crunchy, 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Compose your salad with everything except the walnuts and spinach and stir in the dressing. Make a bed of baby spinach in a broad bowl and pour the salad on top, then sprinkle walnuts on top.
This is a very pretty salad and so very healthy. One variation is to substitute the quinoa with cooked chow mein noodles and you've got an asian noodle salad.
If you prefer more of a mexican flavour you can substitute the broccoli with fresh tomato and avocado chunks, use black beans or kidney beans, and use the a light ranch dressing. Yum!
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Fun facts about Strict Week
Well, this Strict Week is shaping up to be a bit easier than last week. I have convinced my brain to accept that I am not allowed certain things and I finally think that I am convincing the Candida Monkey to shut up. Since last week I have altered things a little.
I have always allowed an exception in my dairy rule to include yogurt, but having cut out most of my dairy consumption has done a bit of a number on my Calcium supply. I am also breastfeeding a very robust little boy who needs his nutrients, thereby depleting mine even further. I am now taking Calcium tablets with vitamin D along with my daily Prenatal and vitamin C. I am also taking two Omega 3-6-9 capsules daily as I can't always get oily fish and other Omega rich foods. I find that my mood is much more sunny when I remember to take my supplements in the morning with my breakfast. It is important to always take supplements with food so they have something to grab on to and also to keep form getting nauseous from some of the stronger minerals like Iron and Zinc.
Next there is chocolate. I have been doing some reading and have discovered that very good quality dark chocolate has some pretty amazing antioxidant properties. "Cocoa and cocoa-laden dark chocolate have been identified as rich sources of antioxidants known as flavanols. Cocoa has more cardioprotective proanthocyanidins than blueberries, more brain-saving catechins than green tea, more heart-healthy phenols than red wine. Two tablespoons of cocoa have more antioxidants than four cups of green tea." [Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today, March/April 2011]. As if I needed any convincing... So I have included one lovely square of 70% cocoa black Lindt goodness to my daily routine. It is a very nice treat that I allow myself once the kids are in bed at the end of the day. An interesting side effect is that it caps any craving that might start brewing and makes me feel like I have allowed myself the decadent treat that the Candida Monkey keeps harping on about. Bonus! It is not even hard to limit myself to one square because the high cocoa chocolate is so potent. So enjoy your chocolate, dear readers, as long as it is good quality and high in the magic cocoa solids.
And finally a word on gluten-free living. I picked up a great book on cooking with whole grains (The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook by Judith Finlayson). It is a fabulous primer for the whole grain rookie like myself because it has a complete breakdown of all the grains consumed today, their various forms, nutrition properties, fun facts, and how to cook them. All of this before the recipe section even begins!
It was inspiring to me to know how many grains that I can consume that are gluten free and very tasty. Grains with gluten include: barley, rye, and all forms of wheat (such as spelt, kamut, farro, bulgur and couscous). Gluten free grains include: Amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, sorghum, teff, and the old favourites, corn, oats, and rice. The latter three were ones that I wasn't certain about, but now that I know I have been enjoying my oatmeal, grits, and sushi very much. I can honestly say that I don't miss bread at all right now. One last word about this book: it includes stats and information about the US and Canada equally, which is refreshing for this Canadian mama.
I have always allowed an exception in my dairy rule to include yogurt, but having cut out most of my dairy consumption has done a bit of a number on my Calcium supply. I am also breastfeeding a very robust little boy who needs his nutrients, thereby depleting mine even further. I am now taking Calcium tablets with vitamin D along with my daily Prenatal and vitamin C. I am also taking two Omega 3-6-9 capsules daily as I can't always get oily fish and other Omega rich foods. I find that my mood is much more sunny when I remember to take my supplements in the morning with my breakfast. It is important to always take supplements with food so they have something to grab on to and also to keep form getting nauseous from some of the stronger minerals like Iron and Zinc.
Next there is chocolate. I have been doing some reading and have discovered that very good quality dark chocolate has some pretty amazing antioxidant properties. "Cocoa and cocoa-laden dark chocolate have been identified as rich sources of antioxidants known as flavanols. Cocoa has more cardioprotective proanthocyanidins than blueberries, more brain-saving catechins than green tea, more heart-healthy phenols than red wine. Two tablespoons of cocoa have more antioxidants than four cups of green tea." [Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today, March/April 2011]. As if I needed any convincing... So I have included one lovely square of 70% cocoa black Lindt goodness to my daily routine. It is a very nice treat that I allow myself once the kids are in bed at the end of the day. An interesting side effect is that it caps any craving that might start brewing and makes me feel like I have allowed myself the decadent treat that the Candida Monkey keeps harping on about. Bonus! It is not even hard to limit myself to one square because the high cocoa chocolate is so potent. So enjoy your chocolate, dear readers, as long as it is good quality and high in the magic cocoa solids.
And finally a word on gluten-free living. I picked up a great book on cooking with whole grains (The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook by Judith Finlayson). It is a fabulous primer for the whole grain rookie like myself because it has a complete breakdown of all the grains consumed today, their various forms, nutrition properties, fun facts, and how to cook them. All of this before the recipe section even begins!
It was inspiring to me to know how many grains that I can consume that are gluten free and very tasty. Grains with gluten include: barley, rye, and all forms of wheat (such as spelt, kamut, farro, bulgur and couscous). Gluten free grains include: Amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, sorghum, teff, and the old favourites, corn, oats, and rice. The latter three were ones that I wasn't certain about, but now that I know I have been enjoying my oatmeal, grits, and sushi very much. I can honestly say that I don't miss bread at all right now. One last word about this book: it includes stats and information about the US and Canada equally, which is refreshing for this Canadian mama.
Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Monday, 13 June 2011
Off the wagon and on again
Today I am back on track. Over the weekend I indeed had my pizza (home made and whole wheat, mind you) and pie (store bought, key lime, very good but next time I will make it myself). I meant to go back to the regime on Sunday but what's a girl to do if there are leftovers? So today I made sure I was extra well behaved. I had rice crackers with guacamole, baby spinach and sliced red bell pepper for lunch and I felt very righteous in doing so.
One side effect of this dramatic change in my eating habits has been a clear indication that my body is undergoing a purge. I keep breaking out in itchy little red rashes on my back and arms, I have hot flashes, and I have moments of "spicy" temperament. My mom, who knows of these things better than I, says that it is my liver flushing out toxins. Having experienced similar symptoms while doing an herbal cleanse, I can confidently agree and look forward to a shiny happy liver soon enough.
I wish that the past ten days had had more of an effect on my weight so I could at least feel like I have had a good head start. It is strange, I look like I am losing weight (yay!) but the scale says that I have gained 6 lbs. I don't get it. I will post the official numbers in a couple of days on Weigh-in Wednesday.
I am now going to curl up on the couch to watch Julie and Julia. I get a kick out of the fact that she is making and eating insanely fattening food and blogging about it while I am making and eating healthy low fat food and blogging about it. Plus the movie just makes me feel good.
One side effect of this dramatic change in my eating habits has been a clear indication that my body is undergoing a purge. I keep breaking out in itchy little red rashes on my back and arms, I have hot flashes, and I have moments of "spicy" temperament. My mom, who knows of these things better than I, says that it is my liver flushing out toxins. Having experienced similar symptoms while doing an herbal cleanse, I can confidently agree and look forward to a shiny happy liver soon enough.
I wish that the past ten days had had more of an effect on my weight so I could at least feel like I have had a good head start. It is strange, I look like I am losing weight (yay!) but the scale says that I have gained 6 lbs. I don't get it. I will post the official numbers in a couple of days on Weigh-in Wednesday.
I am now going to curl up on the couch to watch Julie and Julia. I get a kick out of the fact that she is making and eating insanely fattening food and blogging about it while I am making and eating healthy low fat food and blogging about it. Plus the movie just makes me feel good.
Friday, 10 June 2011
My first stumble
Well, despite all of my best intentions the inevitable has happened. I encountered the edge of my daughter's chocolate chip muffin the other morning and I admittedly ate it. But that was merely stubbing my toe. This morning, after only the slightest hesitation, I deliberately defrosted my own whole muffin and devoured it to the last crumb... then I ate the remnants of my daughter's again. Big faceplant! Of course this means that I am honour bound to endure another Strict Week. Clearly the Candida Monkey is still speaking to me.
One thing that I have begun to realize is that I need to be creative with my Strict Week menus in order for them to appeal to my high metabolism husband and daughter. While I can be fully content to eat a salad for my supper, both of them would be clamoring for another meal an hour later. I picked up a whole grains cookbook at the library and I will try some of the recipes and relay my favourites.
I have decided that I will have my one allotted dessert and some homemade pizza for my Saturday dinner tomorrow- as much for my family as for myself. I will resume my Strict Week on Sunday.
One thing that I have begun to realize is that I need to be creative with my Strict Week menus in order for them to appeal to my high metabolism husband and daughter. While I can be fully content to eat a salad for my supper, both of them would be clamoring for another meal an hour later. I picked up a whole grains cookbook at the library and I will try some of the recipes and relay my favourites.
I have decided that I will have my one allotted dessert and some homemade pizza for my Saturday dinner tomorrow- as much for my family as for myself. I will resume my Strict Week on Sunday.
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