Today is the last day of my one month trial. I start fresh again tomorrow with my new goals in mind along with another that I have faith that I can accomplish.
Three years ago, I was a serious runner. It's hard to believe so much time has passed, but life comes and goes quickly as I have learned all too well. At that time, I was racing regularly and logging 20 to 30 miles each week. I had run and even placed in a number of 5ks and had finished my first 1/2 marathon. In the summer of 2009, I was training for a full, the Heart of America.
In the weeks leading up to my training, I was growing ever more tired and ever more nauseated on my long runs. I often had to stop to be sick by the side of the trail, a fun discovery for other runners, I'm sure. I attributed it to the long runs and the strict diet I was on but learned, a week after I completed the marathon, that I was pregnant. It didn't occur to my husband or I that it could be possible as we were told by a number of physicians that I couldn't become pregnant without medical intervention, which was how our son was conceived.
I finished dead last in the marathon with a time of 7:00:24. It was glorious and abysmal at the same time, but knowing now what I didn't know then, it was a feat to have finished the race at all. HoA is considered by many to be one of the more difficult courses in the country with few water stops, high temps, and a killer route. Though I finished last, there were many that year who did not finish at all. In fact, that year 12.5% of runners did not finish, compared to the 2% who did not finish the New York Marathon in the same year.
This year, I have decided to run the Heart of America marathon again. This year, I will definitely not be pregnant, though I also won't have the recent experience I had in '09. Not long after I finished the marathon, I developed hyperemesis gravidarum, a persistent nausea that occurs during pregnancy. I was able to control the nausea through meds, large amounts of carbs, and extreme lack of movement. I also gained something like 70 pounds. After the baby was born, I thought running would happen immediately, but she was not (is not) the sleeper that my son was and I found that those early morning hours that I had previously spent running were instead spent rocking a crying baby. I know other parents who are able to begin running immediately after their children are born. That wasn't me.
However, things have changed. Tonight, we celebrate my husband's completed manuscript by taking the kids out to dinner then rushing home, putting them to bed, and probably watching a bad movie that we'll both end up mocking. Tomorrow, I celebrate by going on my first training run.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Day 30: The Joys of Cauliflower Crust
Every month, I invite a group of ladies and their children over so that we may share recipes and good times with one another. Each month has a different theme, sometimes surrounding a holiday, an ingredient, or a particular cooking style. The most popular thus far was our "Chocolate" theme. A chocolate lunch is one that no one can say no to.
Today's theme was "Foolish Foods" in honor of April Fools Day. The idea is that you either create foods that look like other foods or that you "hide" one food inside of another. Gourmet Gals didn't happen the way it was supposed to due to our household illness but I made a cauliflower crust pizza regardless and it was delicious. Even the 6 year old said he would eat it every day.
If you look online, you can find several recipes for cauliflower crust. I decided to go with my own version. I cooked the cauliflower until it was very soft, then pureed. I added a heaping tablespoon of ground fennel and lots of spices. It is completely vegan and gluten free if you're into that kind of thing. When my son tasted it after I added pizza sauce and low-fat mozzarella, he had no idea it was not simply pizza.
The one issue I do have with it is that the crust is not the right consistency, but I think now that it is because I made it too thick. I have some leftover puree and I'll try again to see if I can get a better texture.
Today has not been totally clean. I did eat a muffin prepared with sugar and white flour, but it had zucchini in it, so that's better, right?
Today's theme was "Foolish Foods" in honor of April Fools Day. The idea is that you either create foods that look like other foods or that you "hide" one food inside of another. Gourmet Gals didn't happen the way it was supposed to due to our household illness but I made a cauliflower crust pizza regardless and it was delicious. Even the 6 year old said he would eat it every day.
If you look online, you can find several recipes for cauliflower crust. I decided to go with my own version. I cooked the cauliflower until it was very soft, then pureed. I added a heaping tablespoon of ground fennel and lots of spices. It is completely vegan and gluten free if you're into that kind of thing. When my son tasted it after I added pizza sauce and low-fat mozzarella, he had no idea it was not simply pizza.
The one issue I do have with it is that the crust is not the right consistency, but I think now that it is because I made it too thick. I have some leftover puree and I'll try again to see if I can get a better texture.
Today has not been totally clean. I did eat a muffin prepared with sugar and white flour, but it had zucchini in it, so that's better, right?
Goals for April
March has almost come to an end and though this last week has not turned out as I had hoped, clean eating has definitely changed the way that I approach food. My diet has not changed radically. I was already eating fairly healthy foods. As I have been a vegetarian for 18 years, I already eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. However, I have swapped all butter for olive oil, all pastas for whole grain, and regular store bought peanut butter for natural and freshly ground nut butters.
With the end of March around the corner, I'm looking back at what I have achieved. I achieved an appreciation for both clean eating and weight training. I am starting to develop some definition in my arms that I haven't seen in a while and I've lost all of the baby weight and then some. Despite having been sick every day this week, I have had energy to play with the kids and enjoy myself. I am learning to listen to my body and I am learning to learn from my mistakes.
When March ends, new goals begin. They are as follows:
- Continue clean eating
- Continue weight training
- Lose eight pounds
- Lose one inch off my waistline
- Begin 1/2 marathon training
Anyone who follows the blog will know whether or not I am sticking to my goals. If I'm not, feel free to berate me for it.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Day 28: Unclean
Have you ever felt your body under attack and you can just tell that you need to feed it? I think of it as the army of white blood cells needing rations to have the strength to counter the insurgent germs. Today was just such a day for me. I was ravenous from about 10AM. I didn't choose to stop clean eating or to make bad food choices that I would regret later. Instead, I chose to listen to my body and give it what it needed. I had lots of protein and whole grain carbs but not a lot of fruit and veggies. I actually feel much better and I think I'll be well again after a good night's sleep.
I didn't take any regular exercise again today, though I did get in a lot of activity. Gus and I spent a good deal of the day playing baseball outside and playing Wii Tennis inside. I would have to stop and rest for 20 minutes every so often, but he was a good sport about it and we had a lot of fun.
I didn't take any regular exercise again today, though I did get in a lot of activity. Gus and I spent a good deal of the day playing baseball outside and playing Wii Tennis inside. I would have to stop and rest for 20 minutes every so often, but he was a good sport about it and we had a lot of fun.
Day 27: Still Sick
My whole theory about clean eating strengthening my defenses is completely wrong. I have been sick for three days now and I have only gotten worse. I'm really hoping today is the last day of it because this Spring Break has been one long week of various kinds of yuck emanating from my body. Stupid germs.
I did fine yesterday, except I did accidentally eat a Girl Scout cookie. By accidentally I mean that I was hungry, opened the pantry, and found that there was only one Thin Mint left. I'm only human. Meals were very clean though. I had oatmeal for breakfast - cooked in water, no sugar, and sprinkled with sugar-free, vegan chocolate chips for some flavor. It sounds gross, right? DELICIOUS. In fact, I had the exact same breakfast again this morning. Lunch was an apple and a whole wheat tortilla with freshly ground peanut butter. Dinner was home made vegan sloppy joe on whole wheat bun, roasted new potatoes with olive oil and rosemary, and a huge, heaping pile of brussel sprouts. Really, I had too many brussel sprouts. I need to cool it with the brussel sprouts.
Exercise didn't happen yesterday and I can't see it happening at all today. I did take the kids out for a bike ride and then I took them to play some tennis. It was HARD but it was worth it. We spent about 40 minutes on the courts and about an hour on the bikes, though to be fair, most of that hour was me convincing the 6 yr old to ride his bike. Sigh.
The end of the month is almost here, and it has been a successful venture into clean eating. I have new goals for the month of April and I'm very excited to get them started!
I did fine yesterday, except I did accidentally eat a Girl Scout cookie. By accidentally I mean that I was hungry, opened the pantry, and found that there was only one Thin Mint left. I'm only human. Meals were very clean though. I had oatmeal for breakfast - cooked in water, no sugar, and sprinkled with sugar-free, vegan chocolate chips for some flavor. It sounds gross, right? DELICIOUS. In fact, I had the exact same breakfast again this morning. Lunch was an apple and a whole wheat tortilla with freshly ground peanut butter. Dinner was home made vegan sloppy joe on whole wheat bun, roasted new potatoes with olive oil and rosemary, and a huge, heaping pile of brussel sprouts. Really, I had too many brussel sprouts. I need to cool it with the brussel sprouts.
Exercise didn't happen yesterday and I can't see it happening at all today. I did take the kids out for a bike ride and then I took them to play some tennis. It was HARD but it was worth it. We spent about 40 minutes on the courts and about an hour on the bikes, though to be fair, most of that hour was me convincing the 6 yr old to ride his bike. Sigh.
The end of the month is almost here, and it has been a successful venture into clean eating. I have new goals for the month of April and I'm very excited to get them started!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Quotes to Motivate and Inspire
I have an amazing life. Be jealous. My husband is phenomenal. It's truly disgusting. He's hardworking, intelligent, interesting, handsome, and he doesn't know it, but he's also a lot of fun to be around. If that's not enough, he's an awesome father. The kids have their ups and downs as all kids do, but for the most part, they pretty much rock. My son is this brilliant, bright little boy who just gets along with everyone so well and even in the midst of a day of fighting and general horribleness (like yesterday) he tells me that he loves me. Last night, at dinner, he said, "Thank you, mom, for all the wonderful things you do." Can you get over that? And the little one, well, it's hard to know what she's going to be like, but so far, she's pretty awesome too. Her smiles don't just light up the room, they light up the whole block. Beyond my family, I love my house, I love my work, and I love my life in general.
Work, though, that's what has gotten me started on this blog post. I've dabbled in a few different things since I started working from home almost six years ago. I started doing marketing and freelance writing, then really focused on writing for a while, then really focused on marketing for a while. Last year, I started my own business selling hair bows, then I turned back to freelance writing, which is my first and true love. As a freelancer, I have the ability to write on a variety of topics, from traveling abroad to financial advice to an HVAC product guide, and for the most part, I love it all.
Today I am challenging myself. Generally I focus on topics that I find very interesting or that apply to my everyday life. Our family is going back to Disney World this summer, thus I've written several articles on Disney and the Orlando area. I have also been writing a great many fitness and clean eating pieces lately and have a regular client that asks for articles about running and road racing. All good. However. today I step outside myself and into a world of great feelings and emotion. I'm asked to find inspiring quotes and phrases that will help people to find the strength inside themselves to travel on the path of stuff. Or whatever. You see, I'm not that person. "Inspiring Quotes" don't inspire me. I find them silly. In fact, if you visit my Facebook page you'll see my personal quotes are:
"Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck." - Joss Whedon
"Quem corre por gosto nao cansa." (He who runs for pleasure never tires.)
That is not to say that I cannot be inspired; I am just inspired by different things. I am inspired by a clear, blue sky. I am inspired by staring at the moon, by listening to the birds in the spring, by watching my children laugh and play. I am not inspired by something someone said at sometime, probably to try to impress someone or make a fast buck. To me, words are fairly empty. Nature is real. Action is meaningful. Words are just words.
So today, my challenge is to be inspired by words. My challenge is to find these motivational quotes that I can not only share with the world (or with this one client who may or may not end up publishing the article at all), but perhaps that I can even use myself. Today I should squelch the cynic and instead choose to allow myself to feel something cheesy and insipid. Today, I should choose to be inspired.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Day 26: Blecch
Today has not been good. The baby had some kind of GI stuff going on that she spread around the house, then she developed a head cold. I was just bragging on my newfound tolerance to germs and WHAM! Irony appeared. The first day of Spring Break, the one week that I have access to the car (and gym) every day, and I feel like death.
Food was really blah today. Whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter and honey for breakfast, I don't even know what lunch was. I think I had an apple? I know it wasn't much. For dinner I had the rest of my spinach and tofu scramble, this time with salsa (still not that good), a black bean burger w/ guacamole, corn, and low-fat cottage cheese. No cardio today because of the illness, but I did do the rest of my exercises and I spent much of the day being active with the six year old who thinks that the funnest thing in the world is to stay indoors and be as inactive as possible. I'm not going to lie, there were tears today. Tomorrow the forecast is cloudy with a chance of tennis. Even when I'm sick, I'm going to do my best to get this little boy up and moving around.
Food was really blah today. Whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter and honey for breakfast, I don't even know what lunch was. I think I had an apple? I know it wasn't much. For dinner I had the rest of my spinach and tofu scramble, this time with salsa (still not that good), a black bean burger w/ guacamole, corn, and low-fat cottage cheese. No cardio today because of the illness, but I did do the rest of my exercises and I spent much of the day being active with the six year old who thinks that the funnest thing in the world is to stay indoors and be as inactive as possible. I'm not going to lie, there were tears today. Tomorrow the forecast is cloudy with a chance of tennis. Even when I'm sick, I'm going to do my best to get this little boy up and moving around.
Days 24 and 25: Spring Break Weekend
My husband and son are on Spring Break this week, which is awesome. It's going to be so good for my son to have a week away from school and it's going to be so good for my husband to be able to spend this last week before his manuscript is due really working hard and devoting himself to it. Good for them and good for all of us.
This weekend was pretty successful. Saturday, my son and I made the peanut butter protein balls that I had blogged about previously. They are seriously the best things in the world ever. One a day will more than satisfy my chocolate craving and they pack a big protein punch so that after I eat one I don't want 10 more. Yum.
Also on Saturday, my husband insisted that I go for a run. It has literally been months since I've run outside by myself. Time is always my issue. I don't like running in the dark. I'm not afraid of robbers and rapists and whatnot - I have a cell phone and pepper spray. I'm not afraid of cars. I have eyes and ears. I am afraid of raccoons. They are out there at night and they are waiting for me. I've tried running in the dark and I'm telling you right now, it's not worth it. So, I miss out because I will not get up at 4 to run. No I won't, not while the raccoons are awake. And no, I'm not going to face my fear. I've faced it before and they came at me with their little human hands and I want to die just thinking about it. But I digress. My husband encouraged me to go for a run on Saturday afternoon, said he would watch the kids and I could hit the road. It was glorious. There is nothing in this world that feels as good as an outdoor run. Training indoors can kind of replicate the health benefits, but nothing can replicate the smell of fresh air.
Yesterday I did not get to the gym like I had planned because I spent the day with my family. Worth it. We went shopping and colored easter eggs and all that. It was good times. I had a big achievement as well. After the supermarket, my husband drove through the Frozen Custard place, which is practically my favorite place on earth, and I managed to avoid ordering anything at all. I took two or three bites of his chocolate cookie dough treat, and then when I got home I made myself a whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter, honey, and chopped apple. I didn't have to hate myself for the rest of the day and I felt great after.
Except for my couple of bites of custard, I stayed completely clean this weekend and feel better than ever. Last night I made a spinach-tofu scramble. It was super bland despite the fact that I added three garlic cloves to the mix. I ate it anyway, but I think the problem is that I've spent so much of my life just throwing cheese on everything that food doesn't taste that good to me unless it's cheesy. I've not gone vegan, but I definitely am cutting back on cheese consumption and my taste buds know it. Speaking of taste buds, I bought some bananas yesterday and I couldn't stop myself from eating part of one. Big, big mistake. I have blisters all over my tongue now. Ugh.
This weekend was pretty successful. Saturday, my son and I made the peanut butter protein balls that I had blogged about previously. They are seriously the best things in the world ever. One a day will more than satisfy my chocolate craving and they pack a big protein punch so that after I eat one I don't want 10 more. Yum.
Also on Saturday, my husband insisted that I go for a run. It has literally been months since I've run outside by myself. Time is always my issue. I don't like running in the dark. I'm not afraid of robbers and rapists and whatnot - I have a cell phone and pepper spray. I'm not afraid of cars. I have eyes and ears. I am afraid of raccoons. They are out there at night and they are waiting for me. I've tried running in the dark and I'm telling you right now, it's not worth it. So, I miss out because I will not get up at 4 to run. No I won't, not while the raccoons are awake. And no, I'm not going to face my fear. I've faced it before and they came at me with their little human hands and I want to die just thinking about it. But I digress. My husband encouraged me to go for a run on Saturday afternoon, said he would watch the kids and I could hit the road. It was glorious. There is nothing in this world that feels as good as an outdoor run. Training indoors can kind of replicate the health benefits, but nothing can replicate the smell of fresh air.
Yesterday I did not get to the gym like I had planned because I spent the day with my family. Worth it. We went shopping and colored easter eggs and all that. It was good times. I had a big achievement as well. After the supermarket, my husband drove through the Frozen Custard place, which is practically my favorite place on earth, and I managed to avoid ordering anything at all. I took two or three bites of his chocolate cookie dough treat, and then when I got home I made myself a whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter, honey, and chopped apple. I didn't have to hate myself for the rest of the day and I felt great after.
Except for my couple of bites of custard, I stayed completely clean this weekend and feel better than ever. Last night I made a spinach-tofu scramble. It was super bland despite the fact that I added three garlic cloves to the mix. I ate it anyway, but I think the problem is that I've spent so much of my life just throwing cheese on everything that food doesn't taste that good to me unless it's cheesy. I've not gone vegan, but I definitely am cutting back on cheese consumption and my taste buds know it. Speaking of taste buds, I bought some bananas yesterday and I couldn't stop myself from eating part of one. Big, big mistake. I have blisters all over my tongue now. Ugh.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Day 23: Feeling the Benefits
Twenty-three days of clean eating and this week, for the first time, I've started to truly feel the effects. Each time that I've strayed outside of my clean eating regimen, I have felt mentally frustrated but also almost physically ill. It's getting much easier for me to say no to processed foods. In fact, ever since my run-in with the DQ blizzard, I haven't wanted anything that is not nutritionally sound. Good for me.
Of course, most of the effects that I'm feeling could be attributed to the baby sleeping more. I'm more energized, less fatigued, and more alert. But also I think I'm much healthier than I was, simply due to the fact that there have been some serious GI things going on in this house and mine lasted just a couple of days while the baby and the husband are looking at maybe a week +. I also have only had one migraine so far this month and it only lasted one day. I'm not ready to start preaching the clean eating lifestyle, but I sort of feel headed in that direction. I know that keeping it going will not be hard, I am not spending more money than I normally would on food, and I have lost weight. Where's bad?
Yesterday at lunch instead of having my standard fare I tried a spinach and tofu sandwich on naan that I bought at the Natural Grocers. It was INSANE. So yummy. It was a little too big, though. If I have one again (I will) I will probably cut it in half and have two meals. I also bought some roasted red pepper hummus, which the baby and I both loved, and purchased the ingredients to make the peanut butter protein balls I blogged about a few days ago. I'm excited to give them a shot.
Exercise was good yesterday, though not perfect. Time is not always on my side. I missed out on about half of my cardio that was scheduled, mainly because I did a double weights routine. This morning, I am going to hit the gym for a good hour and a half. I need to put in an hour of cardio and some weights. Hopefully my husband will be up to watching the kids, but if not I can always take them with me. I'd rather not because I don't want to feel rushed, but whatever happens will be fine.
Lastly, I started putting all of my magazine clippings into a binder. This is much better for organization than having the clippings folded and stuck in a notebook as they were, but I'm not sure how useful it is to take with me to the gym. I looked around for a smaller binder, but many of the clippings I have are full pages - and several are front and back. The best solution I've come up with is to keep the binder in my bag and pull it out for reference instead of trying to read from it while I'm on a machine. I also have a rule that I'm only allowed to read from my magazines while I'm working out - and with Oxygen, I often start over from the beginning each time. It's such a motivational magazine that I get something out of it every time read it.
Of course, most of the effects that I'm feeling could be attributed to the baby sleeping more. I'm more energized, less fatigued, and more alert. But also I think I'm much healthier than I was, simply due to the fact that there have been some serious GI things going on in this house and mine lasted just a couple of days while the baby and the husband are looking at maybe a week +. I also have only had one migraine so far this month and it only lasted one day. I'm not ready to start preaching the clean eating lifestyle, but I sort of feel headed in that direction. I know that keeping it going will not be hard, I am not spending more money than I normally would on food, and I have lost weight. Where's bad?
Yesterday at lunch instead of having my standard fare I tried a spinach and tofu sandwich on naan that I bought at the Natural Grocers. It was INSANE. So yummy. It was a little too big, though. If I have one again (I will) I will probably cut it in half and have two meals. I also bought some roasted red pepper hummus, which the baby and I both loved, and purchased the ingredients to make the peanut butter protein balls I blogged about a few days ago. I'm excited to give them a shot.
Exercise was good yesterday, though not perfect. Time is not always on my side. I missed out on about half of my cardio that was scheduled, mainly because I did a double weights routine. This morning, I am going to hit the gym for a good hour and a half. I need to put in an hour of cardio and some weights. Hopefully my husband will be up to watching the kids, but if not I can always take them with me. I'd rather not because I don't want to feel rushed, but whatever happens will be fine.
Lastly, I started putting all of my magazine clippings into a binder. This is much better for organization than having the clippings folded and stuck in a notebook as they were, but I'm not sure how useful it is to take with me to the gym. I looked around for a smaller binder, but many of the clippings I have are full pages - and several are front and back. The best solution I've come up with is to keep the binder in my bag and pull it out for reference instead of trying to read from it while I'm on a machine. I also have a rule that I'm only allowed to read from my magazines while I'm working out - and with Oxygen, I often start over from the beginning each time. It's such a motivational magazine that I get something out of it every time read it.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Day 22: Happy Anniversary!
Day 22 was a scheduled rest day. I had planned on doing my "rest" today and going to the gym yesterday, but my car keys had another idea. I spent the day frantically searching for the keys, getting more and more perturbed with every upturned garbage pail and emptied drawer. In the end, my husband found them underneath the baby's car seat. Don't ask.
So, instead of exercise of the regular variety yesterday, I managed to get plenty of housework style exercise by tearing the house apart all day and then putting it back together. Plus, I forgot to eat all day so there are some burned calories for you.
As it was our anniversary last night, we went out to eat. We opted for Macaroni Grill because they sent us a coupon for a free dessert. Uh oh, danger! Danger! I was actually really good. I chose the create your own pasta and had whole wheat penne, a tomato sauce, asparagus, peppers, and spinach. I had one teeny tiny corner of bread and I stopped eating at halfway finished. I let Brad decide on the dessert and he went with tiramisu. YUM! I ate less than half, and gave about half of my half to the kids. All in all, I did well and it was almost as clean as it can get with eating out.
I learned yesterday that we will be going to Florida this summer instead of Montana. I feel really sad, except without the feeling sad part. Actually, I was looking forward to the family car trip in a masochistic sort of way, but I can't deny that the Florida trip will be more my style. Husband has to work while we're there, so it's not much of a vacation for him, and for that I do feel for him. However, how that applies to clean eating is 1) I need to start thinking about clean eating options while on vacation, and 2) We're hitting the beach. Hello, gym!
So, instead of exercise of the regular variety yesterday, I managed to get plenty of housework style exercise by tearing the house apart all day and then putting it back together. Plus, I forgot to eat all day so there are some burned calories for you.
As it was our anniversary last night, we went out to eat. We opted for Macaroni Grill because they sent us a coupon for a free dessert. Uh oh, danger! Danger! I was actually really good. I chose the create your own pasta and had whole wheat penne, a tomato sauce, asparagus, peppers, and spinach. I had one teeny tiny corner of bread and I stopped eating at halfway finished. I let Brad decide on the dessert and he went with tiramisu. YUM! I ate less than half, and gave about half of my half to the kids. All in all, I did well and it was almost as clean as it can get with eating out.
I learned yesterday that we will be going to Florida this summer instead of Montana. I feel really sad, except without the feeling sad part. Actually, I was looking forward to the family car trip in a masochistic sort of way, but I can't deny that the Florida trip will be more my style. Husband has to work while we're there, so it's not much of a vacation for him, and for that I do feel for him. However, how that applies to clean eating is 1) I need to start thinking about clean eating options while on vacation, and 2) We're hitting the beach. Hello, gym!
15 Foods You Should Never Buy
This is an interesting read, though if you're eating clean, you probably wouldn't buy any of these things anyway. My husband generally eats the Yoplait yogurts, though he'll settle for just about any yogurt that is on sale.
The one beef I have with this list is the suggested alternatives. Those that are suggested certainly are healthier, but they are also far more expensive. Take the yogurts, for instance. When my husband and I buy our yogurt, he spends about .50 to .60 per carton. Mine never drop under a dollar. Over the course of a month or even a week, the math really adds up. I usually go without yogurt, in fact, because the price is so high. I have no idea what the cost of uncrustables is, because I would never ever buy a premade PB&J - no matter how lazy I feel I can always slap some peanut butter and jelly on a slice of bread - but Rodale suggests organic peanut butter and jelly on spelt bread in its place. In our family, we only purchase whole wheat bread for my husband and the kids and sprouted wheat bread for me. The price difference between my bread and theirs is about two dollars - and an entire family can go through a couple of loaves a week if they're eating sandwiches for lunch every day.
Another issue is the time factor. The list says that instead of eating the pre-made bagel, one should use locally produced eggs. The unfortunate fact is, most families don't have time to cook breakfast in the mornings. I am a stay-at-home mom and I do all of my work from the comfort of my own sofa. I wake up no later than 5AM every morning and I still don't have time to stand in front of the stove cooking eggs. I can't imagine that households with two working parents could still take the time to cook breakfast each day.
Instead of a list like this, I would suggest something not entirely different but far more accessible to people who don't have time and money to burn. The two biggest reasons people don't eat as healthy as they could is because junky food is cheap and fast. Sometimes, busy moms and dads need fast, and almost always, they need cheap. So instead of telling me to whip up some locally produced, organic eggs in the morning while I'm frantically packing (healthy) lunches, cleaning the kitchen, plotting my next assignment, running a load of laundry, yelling for my son to get dressed, and either holding a baby in one arm or listening to her scream, why not give me a different option? I know that I don't make the best choices in the morning, but I do what I can with the limited amount of time I have. A truly helpful resource would guide me into making realistic choices, not make me scoff at both the "bad" product and the "good" alternative.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Day 21: The Payoff
I had my weigh in day yesterday and it was a good one. I am down 5.5 lbs since I began clean eating and have lost half an inch around my waist, hips, and arms. That's pretty amazing considering all of the ups and downs I've had with sticking to the clean regimen.
Yesterday was a busy day. I had the regular breakfast and lunch, which I have to say I am doing really well with. I have almost zero cravings during the day as long as I remember both protein and carbs with each meal and snack. Dinner is more of a challenge, especially on days that are rushed. Last evening, both of the kids had doctor's appointments, which led to a trip to the pharmacy, which meant a quick dinner prep. Luckily, our pharmacy is in the supermarket, so we were able to pick up some really healthy options for dinner. Well, at least I was. The boys grabbed pizza, but I filled a take out container with crunchy veggies, boiled egg slices, and cranberries so that I could have a nice, big salad (I already have a TON of mixed greens at home that we bought at Sam's and I need to use up). I also grabbed some fresh vegetables while we were there and a container of guacamole. I really stressed over the guacamole because the pre-made stuff can be so loaded with crap that all of the health benefits are erased. This was a freshly made guac, though, made without fillers.
I also managed to get in my entire workout yesterday, which was not that difficult since it was a scheduled rest day. :) Even on my rest days, I am doing abs, back, and arm workouts along with some yoga. I tried to get the baby involved with the yoga, but she got bored after the excitement of the lotus position wore off and I was on my own after that.
In other, much bigger and better news, today is my anniversary! My husband and I have been married for nine years, each one better than the last. I tried on my wedding dress yesterday and it was actually too big for me. How many people can say that they are smaller than they were on their wedding day?
Yesterday was a busy day. I had the regular breakfast and lunch, which I have to say I am doing really well with. I have almost zero cravings during the day as long as I remember both protein and carbs with each meal and snack. Dinner is more of a challenge, especially on days that are rushed. Last evening, both of the kids had doctor's appointments, which led to a trip to the pharmacy, which meant a quick dinner prep. Luckily, our pharmacy is in the supermarket, so we were able to pick up some really healthy options for dinner. Well, at least I was. The boys grabbed pizza, but I filled a take out container with crunchy veggies, boiled egg slices, and cranberries so that I could have a nice, big salad (I already have a TON of mixed greens at home that we bought at Sam's and I need to use up). I also grabbed some fresh vegetables while we were there and a container of guacamole. I really stressed over the guacamole because the pre-made stuff can be so loaded with crap that all of the health benefits are erased. This was a freshly made guac, though, made without fillers.
I also managed to get in my entire workout yesterday, which was not that difficult since it was a scheduled rest day. :) Even on my rest days, I am doing abs, back, and arm workouts along with some yoga. I tried to get the baby involved with the yoga, but she got bored after the excitement of the lotus position wore off and I was on my own after that.
In other, much bigger and better news, today is my anniversary! My husband and I have been married for nine years, each one better than the last. I tried on my wedding dress yesterday and it was actually too big for me. How many people can say that they are smaller than they were on their wedding day?
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Day 20: A Blizzard in March
I haven't shared the blog with anyone yet. As far as I know, no one in the world knows that I am even keeping this blog. It's not that it's a secret, it's just that I know that I don't have any truly interesting content at this point. Right now, I am keeping this information updated for my own purposes. I am doing this so that I can look back and see what I've done right and where I've made mistakes.
Speaking of mistakes, I stopped at Dairy Queen last night. My husband has had a craving for a cookie dough blizzard for a few days now and I thought it would be nice to surprise him with one when I picked him up from work. Of course, you can't go to DQ and just buy one blizzard. That's why they're B1G1 for 99cents. I bought the mini (for both of us) and I shared mine with the two kids, which meant that I had roughly half of a mini blizzard. A whole mint oreo blizzard, size mini, is still 400 calories and 14 grams of fat. I spent all night, and I mean ALL NIGHT, beating myself up for buying and eating it. It was delicious, there is no doubt about it, but it was not at all worth the misery I put myself through afterwards. I'm not saying never again, but I am saying that it will probably be a very, very, VERY long time before I have another one.
Other than the misstep at DQ, I had a good day. I stopped at the library to pick up some more clean eating cookbooks. There were none. It's like they're hiding them from me. For lunch I had a clean egg salad on sprouted wheat bread and a green salad with dates and almonds. For dinner, I made hamburgers for the rest of the family,but a black bean burger for myself. It turned out fairly well. It was a bit on the bland side, so next time I'll try to add some shredded vegetables for a bit more flavor. I used black beans, flax seed, water, a bit of whole wheat flour, and lots of spices. A can of black beans made four burgers, so I ate one and stored the other three. Looks like I have dinner for a few nights! It was actually not bad when I added some jalapeno sauce to it. I think with salsa it will be really tasty. I also made creamed corn and rice. Not bad, but not great either. Although, I do need to share my recipe for vegan creamed corn. It's better than canned and about a billion times healthier than the traditional kind.
Today is rest day as far as workout, but I am going to do some yoga and some core work. This is also my weigh in day, which I'll do a little bit later and report on tomorrow. I expect a loss, but probably not a lot. My size isn't awesome, but my weight is low enough now that losing even a pound is kind of a big deal.
Speaking of mistakes, I stopped at Dairy Queen last night. My husband has had a craving for a cookie dough blizzard for a few days now and I thought it would be nice to surprise him with one when I picked him up from work. Of course, you can't go to DQ and just buy one blizzard. That's why they're B1G1 for 99cents. I bought the mini (for both of us) and I shared mine with the two kids, which meant that I had roughly half of a mini blizzard. A whole mint oreo blizzard, size mini, is still 400 calories and 14 grams of fat. I spent all night, and I mean ALL NIGHT, beating myself up for buying and eating it. It was delicious, there is no doubt about it, but it was not at all worth the misery I put myself through afterwards. I'm not saying never again, but I am saying that it will probably be a very, very, VERY long time before I have another one.
Other than the misstep at DQ, I had a good day. I stopped at the library to pick up some more clean eating cookbooks. There were none. It's like they're hiding them from me. For lunch I had a clean egg salad on sprouted wheat bread and a green salad with dates and almonds. For dinner, I made hamburgers for the rest of the family,but a black bean burger for myself. It turned out fairly well. It was a bit on the bland side, so next time I'll try to add some shredded vegetables for a bit more flavor. I used black beans, flax seed, water, a bit of whole wheat flour, and lots of spices. A can of black beans made four burgers, so I ate one and stored the other three. Looks like I have dinner for a few nights! It was actually not bad when I added some jalapeno sauce to it. I think with salsa it will be really tasty. I also made creamed corn and rice. Not bad, but not great either. Although, I do need to share my recipe for vegan creamed corn. It's better than canned and about a billion times healthier than the traditional kind.
Today is rest day as far as workout, but I am going to do some yoga and some core work. This is also my weigh in day, which I'll do a little bit later and report on tomorrow. I expect a loss, but probably not a lot. My size isn't awesome, but my weight is low enough now that losing even a pound is kind of a big deal.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Day 19: A Need for Protein
Good day yesterday. Sprouted bread with peanut butter for breakfast, green salad for lunch, and one of the best omelets I have ever made for our brinner feast. I managed to skip the blueberry waffles that everyone else enjoyed and instead had a side of roasted cauliflower. It worked for me and the more I avoid the pre-packaged stuff, the less I want it.
I do think I'm snacking too much. I had three snacks of almonds yesterday, which is probably overdoing it. I need to find a way to sneak in some protein that I can enjoy quickly and easily but that is also low in fat and calories. I found a recipe for Protein Balls that I will try to attempt soon.
I was able to work in some cardio yesterday as well. While I was working and my brain got so tired I didn't think I would be able to write another word, I popped up and worked out to a fitness program that I had DVR'ed. It was a pretty short workout but it was definitely challenging.
I also went through my clothing yesterday and found a number of items that fit me now that wouldn't have just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, there are many, many more that do not. The crazy thing about aging and having babies is how my body has changed so drastically. I'm at the exact weight I was three years ago, but the clothing I wore then is about two sizes too small. Some of it I may never get in again, but what matters first is being healthy.
I do think I'm snacking too much. I had three snacks of almonds yesterday, which is probably overdoing it. I need to find a way to sneak in some protein that I can enjoy quickly and easily but that is also low in fat and calories. I found a recipe for Protein Balls that I will try to attempt soon.
I was able to work in some cardio yesterday as well. While I was working and my brain got so tired I didn't think I would be able to write another word, I popped up and worked out to a fitness program that I had DVR'ed. It was a pretty short workout but it was definitely challenging.
I also went through my clothing yesterday and found a number of items that fit me now that wouldn't have just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, there are many, many more that do not. The crazy thing about aging and having babies is how my body has changed so drastically. I'm at the exact weight I was three years ago, but the clothing I wore then is about two sizes too small. Some of it I may never get in again, but what matters first is being healthy.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Day 17 and 18: Organic Apples, $1.79 a Pound
The weekend was... just the weekend. Weekends are always different. They are not difficult or even harder, but my eating habits change with my entire family around me. I think I'm far more inclined to take it easy in the kitchen for all of the meals.
Saturday was not totally clean. We went to the state basketball tournament and I found an excellent clean eating option at the concessions: water! Everything else was cookies and nachos, etc. Unfortunately, by the time the game was over it was more than an hour past our regular dinner time so we had to settle for drive through. I was not about to go home and cook for myself that late at night, so I opted for the veggie quesadilla at DQ. It was either that or a mint chocolate chip blizzard.
Sunday was better. We had all of our meals at home and I made a special concoction last night that could only be described as a clean, vegan stuffing. It's not what I had intended at all, but it turned out really tasty. I combined some ground flax, whole wheat bread crumbs, tofu, onions, and rosemary in some olive oil. It will make a nice side dish the next time I make it, but last night it was my main course.
I also took my son to Natural Grocers yesterday to replenish my sprouted wheat bread and to buy organic apples for the first time ever. I have to say, and this may be completely psychosomatic, but the taste is very different. They taste fresher, cleaner, and just generally better. It may be my brain playing tricks, like I said, but I'll take the tricks. Yum. Plus, they were cheaper there than I've ever seen them at my regular supermarket. I also let him buy a mango, which I promised to serve with dinner last night then promptly forgot. So tonight's dinner will have to include mango somehow. Yuck.
After Natural Grocers, he and I went to the dollar store and loaded up on more pots for the rest of our seeds. Unfortunately, we didn't buy enough potting soil, so we'll have to venture out again when we have some time and the car at our disposal. As of now, we have some pretty robust seedlings growing. Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, okra, watermelon, and various herbs and flowers are peeking at us to say hello!
Lastly, exercise was not on the menu this weekend. We've been suffering from stomach bugs in our house and I am taking my friend Robert Kennedy's advise and not exercising while sick. I feel much better today, so I will get back on track. I have been DVRing some of my favorite exercise programs and I have cardio exercise on the Wii, so I see no reason why I can't work in 30-60 minutes of cardio when I need to, even with a child clinging to my feet.
Saturday was not totally clean. We went to the state basketball tournament and I found an excellent clean eating option at the concessions: water! Everything else was cookies and nachos, etc. Unfortunately, by the time the game was over it was more than an hour past our regular dinner time so we had to settle for drive through. I was not about to go home and cook for myself that late at night, so I opted for the veggie quesadilla at DQ. It was either that or a mint chocolate chip blizzard.
Sunday was better. We had all of our meals at home and I made a special concoction last night that could only be described as a clean, vegan stuffing. It's not what I had intended at all, but it turned out really tasty. I combined some ground flax, whole wheat bread crumbs, tofu, onions, and rosemary in some olive oil. It will make a nice side dish the next time I make it, but last night it was my main course.
I also took my son to Natural Grocers yesterday to replenish my sprouted wheat bread and to buy organic apples for the first time ever. I have to say, and this may be completely psychosomatic, but the taste is very different. They taste fresher, cleaner, and just generally better. It may be my brain playing tricks, like I said, but I'll take the tricks. Yum. Plus, they were cheaper there than I've ever seen them at my regular supermarket. I also let him buy a mango, which I promised to serve with dinner last night then promptly forgot. So tonight's dinner will have to include mango somehow. Yuck.
After Natural Grocers, he and I went to the dollar store and loaded up on more pots for the rest of our seeds. Unfortunately, we didn't buy enough potting soil, so we'll have to venture out again when we have some time and the car at our disposal. As of now, we have some pretty robust seedlings growing. Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, okra, watermelon, and various herbs and flowers are peeking at us to say hello!
Lastly, exercise was not on the menu this weekend. We've been suffering from stomach bugs in our house and I am taking my friend Robert Kennedy's advise and not exercising while sick. I feel much better today, so I will get back on track. I have been DVRing some of my favorite exercise programs and I have cardio exercise on the Wii, so I see no reason why I can't work in 30-60 minutes of cardio when I need to, even with a child clinging to my feet.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Day 16: Sick!
I spent the entire day yesterday sick. This made clean eating difficult for a couple of reasons. First, I was nauseated and carbs were my friend all day. The other problem was that I ran out of a lot of food. No apples, no sprouted bread, no organic soy milk, etc. I had planned on going to the market, but I didn't feel up to moving from the sofa, much less walking three miles or so. Thus, I ate a small amount of food, but much of what I did eat was not on my "clean diet."
However, it did not set me off on a path of unrighteousness. Rather, I felt more affirmed in my decision to eat clean foods. Though I've said that I don't feel greatly different, I do feel very different after having eaten foods that are not clean. I felt more lethargic, more nauseated, and generally ickier after eating white flour based carbs all day long, even though they were in small quantities. Most people would probably agree that is psychosomatic. My brain is telling me that the food is bad for me, which makes my body respond thusly. Whatever the case may be, whatever is happening here, it is working.
How do I know it is working? The scale became my BFF this morning. Three days before weigh in and I popped on the scale to see what is happening. I am officially at my pre-baby weight! It's taken almost two years to get there, but I have reached my goal and I feel fantastic about it. I'm convinced that I could not have done it without clean eating. Weight Watchers gave me some wonderful tools to rediscover weight loss, but I had plateaued for quite some time until I started eating clean foods.
However, it did not set me off on a path of unrighteousness. Rather, I felt more affirmed in my decision to eat clean foods. Though I've said that I don't feel greatly different, I do feel very different after having eaten foods that are not clean. I felt more lethargic, more nauseated, and generally ickier after eating white flour based carbs all day long, even though they were in small quantities. Most people would probably agree that is psychosomatic. My brain is telling me that the food is bad for me, which makes my body respond thusly. Whatever the case may be, whatever is happening here, it is working.
How do I know it is working? The scale became my BFF this morning. Three days before weigh in and I popped on the scale to see what is happening. I am officially at my pre-baby weight! It's taken almost two years to get there, but I have reached my goal and I feel fantastic about it. I'm convinced that I could not have done it without clean eating. Weight Watchers gave me some wonderful tools to rediscover weight loss, but I had plateaued for quite some time until I started eating clean foods.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Day 15: The Unwich
We were supposed to go out to eat last night, but my daughter and her throw up that covered the interior of the car had totally other plans. By the time we picked my husband up, I was not willing to go home and cook. He suggested KFC. I managed to finagle a trip to Jimmy John's.
What I love about Jimmy John's is the Unwich. The Unwich has all of the regular sandwich fillings, except instead of being surrounded by bread, it is wrapped in lettuce. I ordered the vegetarian sans mayo and it was small yet delicious. It was also clean. However, the sandwiches are rather expensive and my husband did not get what he ordered. He was pretty upset about it, as one will be when that happens.
I managed to make it through cookie baking only eating one cookie. That's actually not so bad, though I did beat myself up about it afterwards. I worked out so hard at the gym! And all of the calories I burned came back with that one cookie and it wasn't even chocolate! Next time I indulge, I'm not settling for less than chocolate. Why would anyone do that?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Day 14: Hiccups Along the Way
I have good and bad days. It's been two weeks eating clean and I've cheated more often than not. However, I have to remind myself that transformation is not an end in itself; it is a process. Or something deep like that or whatever. You know what I mean. I'm a work in progress and I'm not giving up on me.
I'm also not giving up on clean eating. I originally have said that this would be a one month trial, but I see now it is going to take more than one month to really get the hang of it. I really have to be serious and stick with it for a few weeks to see any real results. And though I say that I've "cheated," I have mostly eaten clean and I do think that this is what it's all about. I can have setbacks and not be a failure. I can eat a slice or two of pizza and not be a junk food junkie. Most days, most meals are clean and that is awesome. I'm proud of me.
Yes, if you haven't noticed, I'm trying to use positive language to reinforce my whatever. Is it working?
So, yesterday was a good day I guess. I did eat a cookie. Girl Scouts are the devil. But I also had some really good food. I made my own spicy, chunky tomato sauce last night for my whole wheat pasta and it was killer, I have to say. The rest of the family opted for the regular, bland pasta sauce from a jar. Whatever. More for me.
Today is going to be a challenge. I am about to head into the kitchen and make a buttload of sugar cookies for my son's class St. Patrick's Day party. I'm sort of tempted to try to make a regular batch for them meanwhile attempting a "clean" batch for at home, but I think I'm better off with no extra cookies. The Thin Mints are dangerous enough!
I'm also not giving up on clean eating. I originally have said that this would be a one month trial, but I see now it is going to take more than one month to really get the hang of it. I really have to be serious and stick with it for a few weeks to see any real results. And though I say that I've "cheated," I have mostly eaten clean and I do think that this is what it's all about. I can have setbacks and not be a failure. I can eat a slice or two of pizza and not be a junk food junkie. Most days, most meals are clean and that is awesome. I'm proud of me.
Yes, if you haven't noticed, I'm trying to use positive language to reinforce my whatever. Is it working?
So, yesterday was a good day I guess. I did eat a cookie. Girl Scouts are the devil. But I also had some really good food. I made my own spicy, chunky tomato sauce last night for my whole wheat pasta and it was killer, I have to say. The rest of the family opted for the regular, bland pasta sauce from a jar. Whatever. More for me.
Today is going to be a challenge. I am about to head into the kitchen and make a buttload of sugar cookies for my son's class St. Patrick's Day party. I'm sort of tempted to try to make a regular batch for them meanwhile attempting a "clean" batch for at home, but I think I'm better off with no extra cookies. The Thin Mints are dangerous enough!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Day 13: Green Fries and Cupcakes
I tried two new, clean recipes yesterday. One was a brilliant success, the other, not so much.
'Green Fries' was a recipe in a cookbook I checked out from the library. It consists of fried green beans and salt. Not a lot to it, and I don't see how it's healthy to fry foods even when they're cooked in olive oil, but I made it. The kids loved it, the husband ate it, and I found it to be a nice alternative to french fries. However, we seldom have french fries, so we didn't really need the alternative. It was a really good way to get the kids to eat their vegetables though.
''Cake' in a Cup' was a recipe in Oxygen magazine. I've made the microwave 'cup'cake before, no big there, but this one was flourless and sugarless and supposedly just as good. I'm in a very 'I need chocolate' kind of place right now, so I gave it a shot. No. Just no. I couldn't even gag down one bite. It was a definite fail.
My clean eating plan was fine yesterday. Greek yogurt sprinkled with fiber one cereal for breakfast and a big salad with cranberries and almonds for lunch. Dinner was the aforementioned green fries, more almonds, and rice. I kept snacks to a minimum, but I did cave and eat a couple of Thin Mints last night. I needed my chocolate fix and I am only human after all.
I also made it to the gym yesterday. I killed it on the step climber and managed 30 chinups. Dude, they're assisted, they're not all me, and they're still super hard. I'm working my way, slowly but surely, up to being able to do them unassisted. The lower the level, the less assistance you get. I did the bulk of my chinups on level 9, but I managed to get some in on levels 8 and 7. Next time, I plan on doing 1/2 on 9 and 1/2 on 8, then a few on 7. Fascinating, I know.
In other news, our seedlings are already starting to grow! It's very exciting. They weren't supposed to start appearing until Saturday, yet here they are. Clean eating will be so much easier if I'm growing my own veggies!
'Green Fries' was a recipe in a cookbook I checked out from the library. It consists of fried green beans and salt. Not a lot to it, and I don't see how it's healthy to fry foods even when they're cooked in olive oil, but I made it. The kids loved it, the husband ate it, and I found it to be a nice alternative to french fries. However, we seldom have french fries, so we didn't really need the alternative. It was a really good way to get the kids to eat their vegetables though.
''Cake' in a Cup' was a recipe in Oxygen magazine. I've made the microwave 'cup'cake before, no big there, but this one was flourless and sugarless and supposedly just as good. I'm in a very 'I need chocolate' kind of place right now, so I gave it a shot. No. Just no. I couldn't even gag down one bite. It was a definite fail.
My clean eating plan was fine yesterday. Greek yogurt sprinkled with fiber one cereal for breakfast and a big salad with cranberries and almonds for lunch. Dinner was the aforementioned green fries, more almonds, and rice. I kept snacks to a minimum, but I did cave and eat a couple of Thin Mints last night. I needed my chocolate fix and I am only human after all.
I also made it to the gym yesterday. I killed it on the step climber and managed 30 chinups. Dude, they're assisted, they're not all me, and they're still super hard. I'm working my way, slowly but surely, up to being able to do them unassisted. The lower the level, the less assistance you get. I did the bulk of my chinups on level 9, but I managed to get some in on levels 8 and 7. Next time, I plan on doing 1/2 on 9 and 1/2 on 8, then a few on 7. Fascinating, I know.
In other news, our seedlings are already starting to grow! It's very exciting. They weren't supposed to start appearing until Saturday, yet here they are. Clean eating will be so much easier if I'm growing my own veggies!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Day 12: The Weight Goes Up, The Mood Goes Down
I'm not supposed to weigh yet, but I weighed this morning and I'm up three pounds. That is not the direction I was hoping for. It could be a natural weight fluctuation, but I think it's more my body's response to some poor eating choices. Too many snacks, even though they're clean, can lead to weight gain. Duh. So, I need to tighten up my diet and be a little more mindful of how many almonds I'm eating with my snacks, of how much peanut butter I'm spreading on my sprouted bread, and also I need to cut out my cheats entirely. A couple of slices of thin crust vegetarian pizza is not going to hurt me, but it's not my clean diet and I need to adhere to the rules I've set for myself.
Last night's dinner was pan seared artichokes and dates, sprouted bread with peanut butter, and peas. It doesn't sound good, I know. It sounds bland and kind of gross even. Even to me as I was making it I thought it sounded gross. But it was really good. I could see myself repeating that meal some day.
Today I get to go to the gym. Yay! I'm very excited to get in a nice, long hour of cardio. Yesterday I did all of my exercises for the day plus the ones I'd missed on the weekend. No real cardio, but I did walk a little extra and did yardwork for an hour after picking my son up from school. Heart rate was not elevated but at least my body was moving.
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Truth About Organic Apples
I have heard and read a lot about 'The Dirty Dozen.' These are the fruits and vegetables that have the most sprays and pesticides used to encourage growth and discourage disease and infestation. There has been proof that these pesticides can enter the human bloodstream if the items are consumed. This should be reason enough to purchase organic, but when you consider the high price of organic fruits, it is only reason enough to pause.
Organic apples are more expensive than their counterparts because they require more hands on care. Simply put, they are more expensive to grow. Here in Missouri, prices average at about one dollar per pound more for organic vs. inorganic apples. In the abstract, $1 is not a lot of money. However, when you eat apples at the rate my family does, this amounts to about a $10 price difference per week. Do the math, and buying organic is a $500 price increase in one year on one item alone. If it weren't for possible health risks, choosing inorganic would be a no-brainer.
With so many people espousing the benefits of organic apples, it would be foolish to not at least study the importance of doing so. It's easy to find pro-organic information by looking at blogs with unsupported data or sources that clearly benefit from organic consumers. When seeking actual scientific studies that are not backed by farms or large producers, the data becomes a little more scarce. Of course there are those who do not trust government funded studies or universities that may get their research dollars from questionable sources, and that is fine. I am not one of these people. Conspiracy is not my thing. Hard, actual info and proven research is more impressive to me than what agenda any certain group may have.
It seems that there is no doubt that pesticides can invade the body. An Emory University study gave children a regular diet and then a purely organic diet and was able to prove that pesticides show in their urine when not fed organically. According to a 2004 article from Bloomberg Business Week, studies conducted through Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health and University of Washington in Seattle showed similar results. The fact that pesticides can enter the body is not up for question. The effects on these pesticides, though, is still up in the air. Dr. George Blackburn, Associate Dean at Harvard Medical School stated in a 2008 Boston Globe article that there is no data that backs up any claims that the amount of pesticides allowed for use on foods is detrimental to people consuming them. This was backed up by Dr. Walter Willet, Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.
Another oft cited reason for consuming organic fruits and veggies is that they offer more nutritional benefits. Studies have shown mixed results, but for the most part, studies have shown that there is no nutritional boon to eating organic fruits and veggies.
Through all of this research, my head is spinning. Some sources tell me to continue eating conventional apples. They actually cost less to manufacture, their production employs more people, and they have a smaller carbon footprint than their organic cousins. Other sources tell me to forget about the price increase because my health is more important than my wallet. Many say that I should buy thin skinned fruits and vegetables organically, but thick ones are fine conventionally. Still others state that I should go ahead and eat conventional apples but buy organics for my children, and in an entirely different argument, a 2007 Time Magazine article says that I should forget about organics and focus on buying locally grown produce.
In the end, I'm more confused than I ever was before. All sources say that I should continue to eat fruit regardless of any health concerns I may have. Conventional apples are better than no apples, but even without scientific support, it seems like a smart idea to eat organic. The question is, can my bank account stomach it?
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Day 11: Sam's Club, Not Just for the Morbidly Obese
I officially have proof that you can make clean eating choices when you shop at Sam's Club. It's not easy, but it's doable. It's doable to the tune of $300, in fact. Today, I went through our refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and cabinets and I got rid of everything that needed to be gotten rid of. It was a project that took time that I did not have, especially with stupid Daylight Savings Time going into effect, but it was well worth it and hopefully will be the last time I need to do something so drastic in a long time. I filled an entire garbage bag with food that was hiding in the back of the refrigerator, things we'd bought at some point and were just never going to eat, and yucky junk that doesn't need to be around me or my family.
So, Sam's. I'm not a big fan of Sam's Club, but we have a membership there because diapers are so much way cheaper there than anywhere else. I did the math and the diapers alone pay for our membership. Most of the food choices there are atrocious, but I managed to grab lots of frozen veggies, a bag of ground flax seed, a huge bag of toasted almonds, and many other items that I can use to make healthy meals for weeks to come.
Tonight, I had red beans and rice, a nice blend of mixed veggies, and a piece of sprouted bread with natural peanut butter. I also made a pseudo-pesto sauce for my veggies. I used ground flax seed in place of the parmesan cheese and omitted the pine nuts. It was not that great, but with trial and error I'm sure I'll come up with something yummy.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Day 10: Happy Migraine Day
Migraine! I have experienced that exercise can make a migraine much worse, then read the data to back it up. From what I understand, more exercise can slow the frequency of migraines but that I should lay off during one. It all has to do with blood vessels and whatnot. Whatever the case, it's migraine day, which means today is going to suck.
This morning, my son and I started some of our seedlings for this summer's garden. Last year, I had great plans for our garden, which did not turn out exactly the way I had hoped. We had plenty of herbs and lettuce, a few cucumbers and carrots, and pretty much everything else died. As it turns out, I'm not as thorough at weeding as I should be. The weeds pretty much took over the garden and we said to heck with it and just let them grow. Also, when we vacationed in the dead of summer, I neglected to ask a neighbor to come over and water. As it turns out, that was the hottest, driest week of the year. When we returned, we returned to dead plants. So, lessons learned.
This year, we are going the container garden route. I have yet to decide exactly how to do it. I had grandiose plans to build a raised bed and fill it with soil for our root veggies, but considering I don't have the time (or will) to mop the kitchen, I can't imagine I'll have the time (or will) to build a whole big thing. I already have boards leftover from a bookshelf that my husband built and later dismantled, but I can see me laying the boards out and then never doing anything with them.
My son and I went on a seed hunt this afternoon and picked up almost everything we need and want for our garden. We were unable to find cinnamon basil, peppermint, and strawberry spinach, but I promised my son I would order these seeds. Parkseed.com has all of these items at inexpensive prices, so at some point I'll place the order. We did end up planting more seeds than we can possibly house in our tiny yard, so I imagine a lot of my friends will end up with seedlings.
Clean eating has not gone well today. I can blame the migraine, but it's really a combination of laziness and, you know, stuff. As my son and I were out running around, he said, you know, mom, it's a really smart idea to bring ice cream home to dad. Well, how am I going to say no to that? So I did pick up the frozen custard and I did eat half of mine and it was delicious. And tonight I ordered pizza and though I haven't eaten any yet, I will. And it will be good. And if the baby finds it within her soul to sleep tonight, I will have a beer. And it will be good too. I'm not overdoing anything, I'm just not being quite so clean today.
This morning, my son and I started some of our seedlings for this summer's garden. Last year, I had great plans for our garden, which did not turn out exactly the way I had hoped. We had plenty of herbs and lettuce, a few cucumbers and carrots, and pretty much everything else died. As it turns out, I'm not as thorough at weeding as I should be. The weeds pretty much took over the garden and we said to heck with it and just let them grow. Also, when we vacationed in the dead of summer, I neglected to ask a neighbor to come over and water. As it turns out, that was the hottest, driest week of the year. When we returned, we returned to dead plants. So, lessons learned.
This year, we are going the container garden route. I have yet to decide exactly how to do it. I had grandiose plans to build a raised bed and fill it with soil for our root veggies, but considering I don't have the time (or will) to mop the kitchen, I can't imagine I'll have the time (or will) to build a whole big thing. I already have boards leftover from a bookshelf that my husband built and later dismantled, but I can see me laying the boards out and then never doing anything with them.
My son and I went on a seed hunt this afternoon and picked up almost everything we need and want for our garden. We were unable to find cinnamon basil, peppermint, and strawberry spinach, but I promised my son I would order these seeds. Parkseed.com has all of these items at inexpensive prices, so at some point I'll place the order. We did end up planting more seeds than we can possibly house in our tiny yard, so I imagine a lot of my friends will end up with seedlings.
Clean eating has not gone well today. I can blame the migraine, but it's really a combination of laziness and, you know, stuff. As my son and I were out running around, he said, you know, mom, it's a really smart idea to bring ice cream home to dad. Well, how am I going to say no to that? So I did pick up the frozen custard and I did eat half of mine and it was delicious. And tonight I ordered pizza and though I haven't eaten any yet, I will. And it will be good. And if the baby finds it within her soul to sleep tonight, I will have a beer. And it will be good too. I'm not overdoing anything, I'm just not being quite so clean today.
Day 9: Cardio with Kids
The biggest problem I'm having right now is with time management. I need to be doing cardio several times per week, but unless I am at the gym, I can't manage to work it in. The rare times that the baby actually sleeps are reserved for work. I can't concentrate on writing assignments with little voices yelling at me! And because she is sleeping so very rarely these days, I am barely managing to finish the assignments I have, much less all of the other things I have going on in my life, including cardio.
People tell me to use the jogging stroller. She falls asleep in the stroller, then won't take her regular nap. That does not work. I'm open to other suggestions. And, FYI, for those who don't know, my husband and I share a car. I get the car twice a week, which are the two times each week I get my cardio. I'd like to double that without having to drive a car.
On the clean eating front, yesterday went pretty well. I had whole grain cereal with organic soy milk for breakfast. Lunch was the last of my baked tofu strips, chopped veggies, and whole wheat couscous. Dinner was slightly less clean. I had a vegan boca burger on a whole wheat bun, the leftover butternut squash couscous from the night before, corn, and brown beans. My snacks were apples, whole grain crackers, and dried cranberries.
I think I could greatly improve my diet by cutting out the whole grain crackers, but I need to find another snack to take their place. I've been munching on celery this week and I find that I enjoy the taste, but mostly it is very filling. If I wash and cut up several pieces, that may serve as a good solution for me.
The weekend may be a bit of a struggle, but I'm going to attempt another trip to the natural grocers to find some good alternatives to the bad things I've grown accustomed to eating over the years.
People tell me to use the jogging stroller. She falls asleep in the stroller, then won't take her regular nap. That does not work. I'm open to other suggestions. And, FYI, for those who don't know, my husband and I share a car. I get the car twice a week, which are the two times each week I get my cardio. I'd like to double that without having to drive a car.
On the clean eating front, yesterday went pretty well. I had whole grain cereal with organic soy milk for breakfast. Lunch was the last of my baked tofu strips, chopped veggies, and whole wheat couscous. Dinner was slightly less clean. I had a vegan boca burger on a whole wheat bun, the leftover butternut squash couscous from the night before, corn, and brown beans. My snacks were apples, whole grain crackers, and dried cranberries.
I think I could greatly improve my diet by cutting out the whole grain crackers, but I need to find another snack to take their place. I've been munching on celery this week and I find that I enjoy the taste, but mostly it is very filling. If I wash and cut up several pieces, that may serve as a good solution for me.
The weekend may be a bit of a struggle, but I'm going to attempt another trip to the natural grocers to find some good alternatives to the bad things I've grown accustomed to eating over the years.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Day 8: What Day Is It?
I had a nice, clean Wednesday. Except it was Thursday. I've been a day off all week. I don't know. So today, to me, is Thursday, but it's actually Friday. It's confusing to be in my head.
Breakfast was the typical sprouted bread with peanut butter and an apple. I've had the same breakfast for weeks, even before I started eating clean, and I never get tired of it. It's a weird thing to crave, but it's delicious and only 5 Weight Watchers points, plus it gets me through the morning very well. Lunch was leftovers: wholewheat pasta with tomatoes and kale and tofu strips for protein. Dinner, however, was something special. I decided to try my creative hand at building a butternut squash couscous dish and it was, to put it lightly, to die. I put together organic wholewheat couscous, butternut squash, and cinnamon, but what made it really special was the right amount of thyme and cracked black pepper. The entire family, including the finicky kids, loved it. I loved that I made something delicious and extremely healthy for my family. My husband even said that I could serve it every night and he would be happy. I probably won't do that, but I definitely will start putting some recipes up here if I continue with this success.
So, along with the butternut squash couscous dish, I also had sprouted wholewheat bread, roasted brussels sprouts, and organic soy milk. I usually drink water with dinner, but I saw the organic soy milk on sale and thought that I would give it a try. It was actually quite tasty, though I don't like drinking calories. It seems like such a waste.
Exercise didn't go as well as I would have liked yesterday. I succeeded in completing my Oxygen magazine leg and back routines, but the cardio just didn't happen. I did walk the two mile round trip to my son's school, but that hardly counts as cardio since I was pushing the massive sit-n-stand stroller. I had hoped I would get the baby to sleep last night and then could do my cardio after she went to bed. Unfortunately, I laid down with her and only woke up about an hour ago. At least I got some sleep! Also, I'm allowed three rest days per week, according to the schedule I am following, so I guess I used one of them yesterday.
Breakfast was the typical sprouted bread with peanut butter and an apple. I've had the same breakfast for weeks, even before I started eating clean, and I never get tired of it. It's a weird thing to crave, but it's delicious and only 5 Weight Watchers points, plus it gets me through the morning very well. Lunch was leftovers: wholewheat pasta with tomatoes and kale and tofu strips for protein. Dinner, however, was something special. I decided to try my creative hand at building a butternut squash couscous dish and it was, to put it lightly, to die. I put together organic wholewheat couscous, butternut squash, and cinnamon, but what made it really special was the right amount of thyme and cracked black pepper. The entire family, including the finicky kids, loved it. I loved that I made something delicious and extremely healthy for my family. My husband even said that I could serve it every night and he would be happy. I probably won't do that, but I definitely will start putting some recipes up here if I continue with this success.
So, along with the butternut squash couscous dish, I also had sprouted wholewheat bread, roasted brussels sprouts, and organic soy milk. I usually drink water with dinner, but I saw the organic soy milk on sale and thought that I would give it a try. It was actually quite tasty, though I don't like drinking calories. It seems like such a waste.
Exercise didn't go as well as I would have liked yesterday. I succeeded in completing my Oxygen magazine leg and back routines, but the cardio just didn't happen. I did walk the two mile round trip to my son's school, but that hardly counts as cardio since I was pushing the massive sit-n-stand stroller. I had hoped I would get the baby to sleep last night and then could do my cardio after she went to bed. Unfortunately, I laid down with her and only woke up about an hour ago. At least I got some sleep! Also, I'm allowed three rest days per week, according to the schedule I am following, so I guess I used one of them yesterday.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Day 7: Dining at Jazz
I really feel like I'm starting to get my groove on. I have only been truly eating clean for a couple of days, but this morning I awoke feeling fresh and energized. I did not crave any sweets last night, which is brand new for me. Is it a fluke? Maybe.
Last night, my husband took the family out to eat at a creole restaurant called Jazz. It is one of my favorite places. I love the excitement of it all because they don't have a vegetarian menu. Let me rephrase that. They don't have one single vegetarian item on their menu. You would think that would upset me, but I love the drama. Every time I go, I ask them just to make me some pasta dish without meat. I never know exactly what I'm going to get and it is always, always, always delicious. Last night, I made sure to ask that I had mostly veggies and a red sauce, but I left the rest up to the chef and it was to die. I also reined in my bread consumption. I can usually down a few pieces of bread spread with butter, but last night I managed to have half of one piece, no butter. Clean eating. It's what's for dinner.
A couple of days ago, I started following a couple of the workout regimen's in this month's Oxygen magazine. Yesterday, I weighed and measured myself and am now keeping a physical log of my daily exercise. Weight Watchers allows for this too, but I find that when I have to open my laptop every time I need to input some information I just don't. Having a notebook has worked for me in the past, so why won't it work for me now? So I have my little notebook. It's nothing fancy, but I can take it with me to the gym, tear out pictures from magazines to place in it for inspiration, and just generally be a great big dork about the whole thing.
Last night, my husband took the family out to eat at a creole restaurant called Jazz. It is one of my favorite places. I love the excitement of it all because they don't have a vegetarian menu. Let me rephrase that. They don't have one single vegetarian item on their menu. You would think that would upset me, but I love the drama. Every time I go, I ask them just to make me some pasta dish without meat. I never know exactly what I'm going to get and it is always, always, always delicious. Last night, I made sure to ask that I had mostly veggies and a red sauce, but I left the rest up to the chef and it was to die. I also reined in my bread consumption. I can usually down a few pieces of bread spread with butter, but last night I managed to have half of one piece, no butter. Clean eating. It's what's for dinner.
A couple of days ago, I started following a couple of the workout regimen's in this month's Oxygen magazine. Yesterday, I weighed and measured myself and am now keeping a physical log of my daily exercise. Weight Watchers allows for this too, but I find that when I have to open my laptop every time I need to input some information I just don't. Having a notebook has worked for me in the past, so why won't it work for me now? So I have my little notebook. It's nothing fancy, but I can take it with me to the gym, tear out pictures from magazines to place in it for inspiration, and just generally be a great big dork about the whole thing.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Day 6: Shilling for Naturally More
This has been a big day for me. Mentally, I think I have finally, fully embraced the idea of clean eating. I have a lot going on and a lot of things that I'm working on internally, so it's kind of a big deal.
I stopped at the library this morning to check out some more books on clean eating. I couldn't find the ones I actually wanted, so I settled for a couple of clean eating cookbooks and one of the Biggest Loser books just for kicks. I actually love the Biggest Loser, but mostly because the contestants get so happy when they lose weight and it makes me cry happy tears. It's a big, weird thing. Also, the fat people are so much bigger than me, even by the time they are finished losing weight, so in a weird way it makes me feel skinny. Like, they're working out six hours a day and they still weigh over 200 lbs? Pass the donuts, dude. But I digress.
I made it to the gym with my latest copy of Oxygen magazine in hand. Love Oxygen. Really and truly, I have never been more inspired by a stupid magazine. Actually, I have never been inspired by a stupid magazine. However, Oxygen totally does it for me. I read it at the gym and I feel like I can accomplish anything. I wish there were a way to keep that feeling going all the time. Apparently, clean eating will help me with that? I don't know, but why would I not try?
Anyway, today's foods were pretty good. I started the day with my peanut butter and flax seed on sprouted bread. Sidebar: this Naturally More stuff is insanely delicious. And I understand they have it at Walmart where it might be a lot less expensive than at Natural Grocers. [Update: Yes, they have it at Wal-Mart. No, it's not less expensive.] Snack time was about a half cup of whole grain cereal. Lunch was sliced tofu on sprouted bread, sliced cucumbers, fat free cottage cheese, and celery with more peanut butter. Next snack was an apple. This evening, I made whole wheat pasta with fresh vegetables sauteed in olive oil. It was pretty good, but 20 minutes later and I'm hungry again. I should have had protein.
In addition to eating clean, I am also doing Weight Watchers online. It's sort of a love/hate relationship I have with WW. I love that it works - it really does. I've lost all but two pounds of the baby weight I've been carting around. But I also kind of hate having to go online every time I need to log food. I plan on cancelling my membership at the end of this month and going with the handy dandy notebook for writing what I bite. Apparently, according to Robert Kennedy Publishing, I'll just be awesomely in shape from eating clean anyway and after eating clean for a month, I apparently won't want to go back to eating any other way. I don't know. We'll see.
I stopped at the library this morning to check out some more books on clean eating. I couldn't find the ones I actually wanted, so I settled for a couple of clean eating cookbooks and one of the Biggest Loser books just for kicks. I actually love the Biggest Loser, but mostly because the contestants get so happy when they lose weight and it makes me cry happy tears. It's a big, weird thing. Also, the fat people are so much bigger than me, even by the time they are finished losing weight, so in a weird way it makes me feel skinny. Like, they're working out six hours a day and they still weigh over 200 lbs? Pass the donuts, dude. But I digress.
I made it to the gym with my latest copy of Oxygen magazine in hand. Love Oxygen. Really and truly, I have never been more inspired by a stupid magazine. Actually, I have never been inspired by a stupid magazine. However, Oxygen totally does it for me. I read it at the gym and I feel like I can accomplish anything. I wish there were a way to keep that feeling going all the time. Apparently, clean eating will help me with that? I don't know, but why would I not try?
In addition to eating clean, I am also doing Weight Watchers online. It's sort of a love/hate relationship I have with WW. I love that it works - it really does. I've lost all but two pounds of the baby weight I've been carting around. But I also kind of hate having to go online every time I need to log food. I plan on cancelling my membership at the end of this month and going with the handy dandy notebook for writing what I bite. Apparently, according to Robert Kennedy Publishing, I'll just be awesomely in shape from eating clean anyway and after eating clean for a month, I apparently won't want to go back to eating any other way. I don't know. We'll see.
Day 5: Giving Up Sugar is Probably Not Going to Happen
I'd like to say that clean eating took a holiday, but the fact is, it hasn't really started in full force yet despite my resolution to take on the new lifestyle. I did well yesterday. Breakfast was peanut butter with flax seed on sprouted bread and an apple. Lunch was tofu strips, dried cranberries, fat free cottage cheese, and more sprouted bread with natural peanut butter. Dinner was a mini-disaster. My husband, noticing how exhausted I was from my nights of no sleep due to the baby, offered to take care of dinner. Now, this is something I just don't say no to. He showed up with a fresh fruit salad; a bag of fresh, cut vegetables; and pizza. I had one slice of pizza - not the end of the world - but it definitely wasn't clean. Yummy, but not clean.
So do I start over again today? Of course. Do I resolve that last night's pizza was my last pizza until April 5? Yes. Will I make more mistakes along the way? Probably.
I also received my latest issue of Oxygen magazine - actually my first since I subscribed. I've already been challenged to totally give up sugar. So here's my next plan - eating clean, no sugar. Yikes! I'm scared of failure but I'm so excited at the prospect of success.
So do I start over again today? Of course. Do I resolve that last night's pizza was my last pizza until April 5? Yes. Will I make more mistakes along the way? Probably.
I also received my latest issue of Oxygen magazine - actually my first since I subscribed. I've already been challenged to totally give up sugar. So here's my next plan - eating clean, no sugar. Yikes! I'm scared of failure but I'm so excited at the prospect of success.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Days 3 and 4: Vacation Mini-Disaster
I traveled out of town over the weekend as part of my son's birthday celebration. Clean eating went right out the window. I didn't eat horribly, but I didn't do well either. I can't resist chocolate. I just can't do it, so I'm going to have to find a way to incorporate it. That means another trip to the natural grocery store for organic cocoa and a serious revamp of some of my favorite recipes.
Speaking of the natural grocery store, I took a trip there yesterday and loaded up on foods that will fit in my clean eating diet. I finally have healthy food in the house! That's not really fair to say - I have always had healthy food in the house. Now I just have a lot more of it and a definite determination to eat clean and feel great. I purchased tofu, which I then sliced, seasoned, and baked to create my own non-meat lunch meat style thingie things for lunch today. Yes, I'm a professional writer. I also bought whole wheat pasta, brown rice, fresh vegetables and fruit, natural peanut butter, and several other supplies that will help me to eat in a clean way.
Last night's meal:
I made roasted kale, tofu topped with fresh salsa, sprouted whole wheat bread, and whipped sweet potatoes. It was actually not that good. The tofu was tasty, but the kale... I've done better.
Speaking of the natural grocery store, I took a trip there yesterday and loaded up on foods that will fit in my clean eating diet. I finally have healthy food in the house! That's not really fair to say - I have always had healthy food in the house. Now I just have a lot more of it and a definite determination to eat clean and feel great. I purchased tofu, which I then sliced, seasoned, and baked to create my own non-meat lunch meat style thingie things for lunch today. Yes, I'm a professional writer. I also bought whole wheat pasta, brown rice, fresh vegetables and fruit, natural peanut butter, and several other supplies that will help me to eat in a clean way.
Last night's meal:
Friday, March 2, 2012
Day 2
The first day of clean eating went well. I didn't feel overly denied, though I did allow myself half of a light beer at game night. One of the books I read said that you simply can't deny yourself everything unless you want to end up throwing in the towel completely. Beer is not my favorite thing in the world, but it is one of those things that, if I say I can't have it, I want it immediately.
For dinner last night, I made red beans and rice. The rest of the family wasn't as excited about it as I was. For me, it was very filling and delicious. I also made a side of roasted brussels sprouts (just for me, no one else will eat them) and I had a very happy dinner.
Running out of food in the house though - I really have to go grocery shopping! Plus, I'm going to be very tested this weekend as we are going out of town for a couple of days. We've already pre-bought breakfast, so I just have to find a way to make it work.
For dinner last night, I made red beans and rice. The rest of the family wasn't as excited about it as I was. For me, it was very filling and delicious. I also made a side of roasted brussels sprouts (just for me, no one else will eat them) and I had a very happy dinner.
Running out of food in the house though - I really have to go grocery shopping! Plus, I'm going to be very tested this weekend as we are going out of town for a couple of days. We've already pre-bought breakfast, so I just have to find a way to make it work.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Day 1
I am starting to blog about clean eating, mainly just for my own satisfaction, but if I somehow help someone else in some way, that's a good thing too.
I first started reading about clean eating about six weeks ago. I was headed to the gym and needed some reading material for the treadmill. I found Oxygen magazine, which I had never given a second glance before because I previously had thought was somehow related to Oprah Winfrey. It's not. It's actually quite a wonderful rag about body building and healthy living for women. Oxygen magazine promotes clean eating in a big way. The editor, Robert Kennedy, is married to Tosca Reno, who has written a series of books about clean eating, so I went to the library and checked one of them out.
I can't say that I'm 100% sold that this is going to work out for me. Honestly, there is little to argue with as far as what is suggested. Don't eat processed foods and drink more water. Eat in healthy proportions. Exercise. Duh. What I'm struggling with is, will it really make me feel better? Will I really be healthier once I start eating clean? Will I spend less money or will my food bills sky rocket?
I have committed myself to eating clean during the month of March. I further commit that I will blog here every day to document what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, and how much money I'm spending on food. I won't go into too many specifics as I already document my food and exercise on another web site. I only have so much time, you know.
I'll start by saying that I, so far, have not eaten much today. I haven't had the chance to go to the natural grocery store for the items that I want and when I hit the supermarket yesterday they didn't have the right items at the right prices. I did grind fresh peanut butter while I was there, which took about 10 minutes for a teeny tiny amount (I'll definitely be needing more soon), and bought a bag of apples. I'm supposed to be getting organic, but I just couldn't make myself spend the extra $$.
So far today my feeling is.... hungry. Super hungry. In fact, I need to stop thinking about it or else I'll grab that box of Girl Scout Cookies that is perilously only a few feet away.
I first started reading about clean eating about six weeks ago. I was headed to the gym and needed some reading material for the treadmill. I found Oxygen magazine, which I had never given a second glance before because I previously had thought was somehow related to Oprah Winfrey. It's not. It's actually quite a wonderful rag about body building and healthy living for women. Oxygen magazine promotes clean eating in a big way. The editor, Robert Kennedy, is married to Tosca Reno, who has written a series of books about clean eating, so I went to the library and checked one of them out.
I can't say that I'm 100% sold that this is going to work out for me. Honestly, there is little to argue with as far as what is suggested. Don't eat processed foods and drink more water. Eat in healthy proportions. Exercise. Duh. What I'm struggling with is, will it really make me feel better? Will I really be healthier once I start eating clean? Will I spend less money or will my food bills sky rocket?
I have committed myself to eating clean during the month of March. I further commit that I will blog here every day to document what I'm eating, how I'm feeling, and how much money I'm spending on food. I won't go into too many specifics as I already document my food and exercise on another web site. I only have so much time, you know.
I'll start by saying that I, so far, have not eaten much today. I haven't had the chance to go to the natural grocery store for the items that I want and when I hit the supermarket yesterday they didn't have the right items at the right prices. I did grind fresh peanut butter while I was there, which took about 10 minutes for a teeny tiny amount (I'll definitely be needing more soon), and bought a bag of apples. I'm supposed to be getting organic, but I just couldn't make myself spend the extra $$.
So far today my feeling is.... hungry. Super hungry. In fact, I need to stop thinking about it or else I'll grab that box of Girl Scout Cookies that is perilously only a few feet away.
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