Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Day 12: Marsh to the rescue


Morning Weigh-in: 166.4 lbs

I am happy to see that number go down, however, the Chief Science Officer at Beachbody posted on our support group page for Ultimate Reset yesterday that waist measurements are a better measure of success. Since water, fat, muscle are all in constant flux, it’s hard to say which factored into weight gain or loss, however, the UR tends to make a person leaner so it should show in waist/hip measurements. I haven’t done that yet, but I probably will soon. 

Tonight I’m supposed to make Mediterranean beets and coconut collard greens. I actually got mixed southern greens at Trader Joes, but I’m kind of looking forward to dinner. I had a heck of a time finding good beets though. The ones at Meijer were kind of small and nowhere else had them this time of year.  I’ve also been searching for butternut squash – also out of season. I should have known that the Marsh downtown would rescue me from my peril. Found a bunch of large beets with greens, HUGE butternut squash (regular and organic) and I also got another cantaloupe on sale. 

One more note about food…I have traditionally not been a fan of melon. I didn’t eat watermelon until I was in high school and before this year, couldn’t stand other the green or orange melons either. I remember being in the hospital when I had Annyka and wanting fruit (I craved fruit throughout my pregnancy and post-partum). My ex-husband bought me a fruit cup from the cafeteria (and was so proud of himself for finding it) and it was permeated by the melon taste. I still ate it, but I remember wishing it didn’t have all that melon. Fast-forward to the last few weeks. I have bought two cantaloupes in the last five days – for ME. So I guess it is true that taste buds changes. 

I was just telling someone the other day that I think eating foods that inflamed my sinuses (ie gluten, dairy, etc) actually made food taste different. Now that those foods are out of the way, I’m enjoying things I didn’t expect to. So there you have it – Clean eating = yummier food.

UPDATE: Dinner was only meh. I liked the beets, but I wasn't a fan of the coconut collard greens. I felt like I was eating tanning lotion. And now I have heartburn, which is something I haven't had in a couple years at least. I haven't decided if I want to drink a little cider vinegar or baking soda to try to get rid of it. Scott says cider vinegar works for him. I usually do baking soda, but its so high in sodium....

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Day 11: Weather change...

Morning weigh-in 168.8 lbs.

I want that damn scale to go down, but as long as it stays under 170 I won't cry.

It's been in the high 80s and 90s for the last week and finally, early this morning it rained. We have resisted turning on the A/C in our house so it's coming as a relief. Unfortunately though, barometric pressure drops do a number on me - I woke up with a pretty bad headache making me feel all out of whack.

But I finally had a "release" of toxins from my system. Yes, that's right, I just told you all that I pooped today. I am normally very regular when I'm on Shakeology (one of the reasons I like it), but this Reset has screwed up my "schedule." I drank about 200oz of water yesterday. Yes, I typed that correctly. Two. Hundred. Ounces.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Day 10: Not much too report

Morning Weigh-in: 167. something

It's even hotter today. We went to the zoo. Now we have a cookout to go to. I'm looking forward to my dinner - lentil-quinoa pilaf and broccoli. But really not looking forward to being around other food. I'm trying to drink 2 gallons of water today...I'm not sure I've even reached a gallon yet. I might as well just camp out on the toilet since I have to pee every few seconds. I'm surprised I finished this paragraph without having to get up.

I'm ready to breakthrough the plateau.

Day 9: Still waiting for the "Release"

Morning Weigh-in 167.2 lbs

It's hot. We need a pool. Instead we went to one. The kids are exhausted, I'm still hot. That's all.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Day 8: Detox


Morning weigh-in 168.0 lbs

Today I entered phase 2 of the Ultimate Reset – Release. (Phase 1 was Reclaim, in case I never mentioned that.) Phase 2 adds an additional supplement to the plan three times a day that cleanses the colon. Sounds fun, huh? 

I had heard it was hard to drink and tasted horrible, but it wasn’t so bad. I mixed it with ½ cranberry juice, ½ water and a splash of lemon juice. It’s a little gritty, but doesn’t really have a taste. 

I also went  to the gym for the first time since being on the Reset. I swam for 30 minutes – not too hard – then did yoga in the sauna for about 20 minutes. I had only planned to do 10 minutes of yoga, but I didn’t have a watch and it ended up being 20. Then we headed to the mall. I got a salad at Paradise Bakery: lettuce, field greens, cucumber, tomato, onion, avocado and vinaigrette dressing. Everyone else had Chick-Fil-A. I do miss Chick-Fil-A, but since I can’t eat the chicken I really want because of the breading, it has nothing to do with the Reset. 

Scott paid for me to get a 10-minute massage in the mall also. It was heavenly and should help the detox process along. We also hit the Trader Joe’s for lots of produce, but still couldn’t locate a couple items I need for this week’s recipes. 

Once home the kids played in the sprinkler while I looked for recipes for post-reset. Then I fixed dinner. Green beans, rice and pinto beans for me (and zucchini); green beans, potatoes and chicken sausage for everyone else. I’m pretty exhausted now – even though it’s only 9:30. I’ll probably be heading to bed soon. Boring post, but I felt like I needed to post each day!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Day 7: The alarm clock

Morning weigh-in: 169.something - My body really likes that 167-169 weight range. Hopefully I can break through that next week in detox.


I feel like there is one thing keeping me from getting the sleep I really crave. It’s my alarm clock. 

Let me tell you about this alarm clock. I don’t get to choose what time I want to wake up with this alarm. It decides that. And it usually decides about 4 or 5 am is the perfect time. This alarm clock’s name is Lucky. He’s our cat. Our indoor/outdoor cat that thinks being in the house all day long and lounging on the kids bunk beds then going outside from 4 am to 7:30 am is the best life there is. Granted, he’s much less maintenance than the dogs. He has a self-feeder and he only wants human attention occasionally (and obviously that’s always on his terms), but when he decides he wants something, he’ll make sure you know it. 

Evidently it usually starts with him sitting up near my head and batting at my hair. That doesn’t wake me up though. Somehow it wakes Scott up, but not me.  They he’ll start the meowing. Normal meowing at first, which will escalate to howling if we don’t pay attention.  Last night I woke up for a quick bathroom break – but it’s not a full wakeup, just enough to make to the bathroom in the dark and back to bed. 

Lucky took that as his opportunity to alert me to his needs then danced around as if he was changing his mind about going out. If I could just toss him out the window, I would, but our room being in the attic makes that seem like a bad idea, so I turned on the light to go down the stairs the push the cat outside. He acted as if nothing had happened this morning when I let him back in. So anyway, I feel like I could have slept better last night. 

And my contacts are really not agreeing with my eyes today either. Everything is a little blurry…I should probably make sure I have them in the correct eyes….(which pretty much just means getting out a new pair). 

Well, I’m here at work. Let’s do this thing so I can enjoy the 3-day weekend!

UPDATE: Well, obviously I do need more sleep - I figured out why my contacts didn't want to stay in my eyes. I already had a pair in. I wear Dailies and forgot to take them out last night. Duh. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Day 6 (cont.):Oral surgery ruined everything


I finally finished dinner tonight…we had a birthday party for a sweet little one-year-old to go to and dinner was a 1-hour production so It took me awhile. 

Tonight’s dinner was toasted millet, roasted root vegetables and zucchini-cashew soup. I liked the millet. It doesn’t seem as good as quinoa by itself, but mixed with something (veggies, etc) it’s pretty good. I like the slightly crunchier texture. I really liked the zucchini-cashew soup. I wasn’t sure what to think of the creamy green concoction, but the cashews were just enough crunchy and creamy to go with the zucchini. However, I wasn’t a fan of the roasted root vegetables. 

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s 85 degrees outside and I’m eating roasted winter vegetables, or if it’s because I didn’t cook the veggies evenly or maybe it’s a negative connotation that goes with roasted carrots. About 10 years ago, I had all four of my wisdom teeth out and one of my first meals was roasted carrot soup. Unfortunately the pain meds made me nauseous and I connect that nausea with roasted carrots. It sucks because I really loved roasted carrots! 

 I also did get about 20 minutes of yoga in as well as a walk in midday. Yay me. 

Tomorrow is the last day of Phase 1. I'm looking forward to Phase 2 - Release. I'm not necessarily looking forward to taking Detox three times a day, but I am looking forward to the benefits of it!

Day 6: Embracing the mindset


Morning Weigh-in           167.6 lbs (I may be off on the decimals, but I know it was 167 something)

I really feel like I’ve hit my stride now. Although I felt good the last few days, I woke up with a more positive outlook than normal today. I danced in the shower.  You probably didn’t want to know that.

I was waiting for that “great sleep, woke up revitalized” thing I’d heard about from other Reset Participants, but now I get it. I still needed the alarm, but I didn’t dread waking up. I laid in bed for a few minutes and did some deep breaths then hopped up and got moving. 

I’m wearing a fitted black dress today and I feel fabulous. I had fruity oatmeal again this morning. It was faster than baked tempeh and less scary. I’m going to a baby shower in a couple hours, but I brought veggies and hummus so I think I’ll be fine. Then I have a 1st birthday party to go to this afternoon…so probably more veggies! 

I noticed more skin blemishes again today, but I think that is actually a good thing so I’m not alarmed. It’s been years since I’ve had any acne anywhere besides my face – thanks Accutane (I can’t decide if that’s sarcasm or not – Accutane was horrible, but it did get rid of the painful acne). 

I’ve been thinking today that this Reset really is more than just an eating/drinking plan – isn’t that called a diet? I find myself trying to improve every other part of my life as well. I’m working on letting go of negative attitudes. I’m tackling tasks on which I’ve been procrastinating. I’m breathing deeper and using that as a stress reliever. I’m taking the recommended breaks from work and stretching. THAT is what the Ultimate Reset is really about. It’s what Beachbody is really about too. 

I said it yesterday and I’ll say it again. It’s not about losing weight. It’s about being healthy. Getting healthier.  There’s a good chance that a more ideal weight will be a side effect of making positive changes, but the changes need to be more than that. I could lose weight in other ways, but it would not improve the person I am – physically or mentally. Beachbody helps people find their potential and use that to become healthier. 

I read the other day that the “job description” of a Beachbody coach was to help people and introduce them to the products. If they don’t buy, help them anyway. I believe that and I can get behind that. I already have.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Day 5: It’s not about weight loss…


I keep getting confused about what day I’m on and thinking that I’m on day 4, but it’s actually Day 5. Whoo!

Morning weigh-in 169.2 lbs

I keep reminding myself that this is NOT about weight loss; it’s about optimal health. The scale doesn’t mean that much. But it’s also tough when the insurance company continues to remind me that I’m obese (well, technically now  I’m overweight, but just barely). I’m thrilled the scale is below 170, but would still like to get into that size 8!

Last night’s stir-fry was yummy.  Broccoli, bell pepper, red onion, zucchini and carrots. I also added some garlic. The quinoa balanced it out perfectly. I was too full for the tomato-cucumber salad until later. I’m looking forward to have stir-fried veggies again tonight.

I’m afraid the quinoa salad for lunch today is going to be a big ol’ fail. It’s basically a quinoa tabbouleh, but the quinoa was too mushy for my liking and I ran out of cucumbers so I put extra tomatoes in. But I’ll try my best (…and forget the rest). 

Thankfully the oatmeal with walnuts and berries I had this morning were fantastic!

Enough for now.  I’ll check back later.

UPDATE on lunch: Yup, it was crap, but it was fuel and it has been eaten. Dinner will be better!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Day 4: Fruit for breakfast!

Silly things make me happy sometimes...like when I get to have fruit for breakfast.

First things first though, Weigh-in: 167.4. One lb down. Excellent.

And I slept fantastically last night. Honestly I think it had more to do with the cooler weather though than anything else. Then I blended my fruit - cantaloupe and mixed berries - into a smoothie with almond milk. I think I would have enjoyed eating it as whole fruit better. Oh, well. It's done now and its almost lunch time.

I've noticed two pimples in the last 24 hours - which is somewhat unusual for me. Let's assume that is toxins fleeing my body. Also excellent.

I'm itching to go run, but I know I'm not fueling my body for that. With days in the 70s with low humidity, it's hard to resist. But I will because I have that kind of willpower - who talks about the willpower to NOT go run?

Did I already mention what is going to be for lunch today? If I didn't, here it is:

  • Lentil-lime salad - big fan of this. Lentils, carrots, lime juice, sesame oil, cumin...I think that's the gist. I eat it cold and it's yummy and light. Lentils are super...literally, one of those superfoods they (the mysterious they) are always talking about. 
  • Black beans & rice - brown rice, black beans, corn, salsa, cilantro and avocado.
  • Microgreen salad - baby greens with carrots, baby bell peppers and homemade garlic dijon dressing. 

Honestly, I don't really think these foods go together, but food is fuel and they are all tasty fuel (or as my child would say "a tasty snack"), so I'm good. More later.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Day 3: Tried my best...

Forgot the rest...but still couldn't stomach the sushi.


169.4 lbs

I felt much better today. No weakness or crazy hunger. I was definitely thankful for that.

I had quinoa with grilled chicken and spinach for breakfast, the microgreen salad and lentil-lime salad for lunch. The lentil salad was very good. I will gladly eat that again. 

However, tonight’s dinner, I can’t do this one again.

I tried really hard to like the nori rolls, but I just can’t swallow the seaweed. I gag every time I try. The dog loves it (what is wrong with my dog?), but I just can’t do it. I scraped the rice and insides out and ate them. I’m not a fan of the tempeh either. The miso soup is just meh. The cucumbers are okay, but not awesome.

I think tomorrow I’m going to do rice and black beans instead of the nori rolls and I’ll still have the lentils. 

Still working on conscious eating. I had a meeting during lunch today – I turned down the Jimmy John’s without a problem, but I was eating salad while listening to a presentation.

I’m waiting for the “awesome sleep” stage of this reset to kick in. Last night I woke up at 4 am and couldn’t get back to sleep until after 5. But thankfully I don’t feel too tired today. Maybe tonight’s the night since it’s not so hot outside so my attic room won't be an oven.

I feel a little constipated since I stopped having Shakeology each morning, but I have a feeling that will correct itself soon enough.Tune in tomorrow for more fun.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Day 2: Down 2 lbs

First thing in the morning weigh-in: 168.2 lbs

9:30 am It’s kind of weird for me to be up and productive at 8 am on a Sunday, but I am. I’ve made lentils, boiled corn, made oatmeal, Greek dressing and I have chicken on the grill. Annyka and I plan to clean the house up and wash the van today. I should probably (ie have to) do some laundry too. I find laundry so tedious. 

I’m looking forward to the food today and tomorrow. Oatmeal with blueberries – yum. Greek salad – yum. Beans & rice – yum. Lentil –lime salad – not sure if it is, but it sounds yum. Sushi…well we’ll see if I can stomach the seaweed. It usually is hard for me to swallow, but I’m game to try it again. If I can’t seem to get it down, I’ll just eat the other ingredients in a bowl with the nori. 

You’d think I’d never prepared food before. I’ve cut my fingers twice with the knife. Not sure what my deal is. Must go find the liquid bandage. 

One thing I need to work on it being present with my food during meals. I tend to eat while doing three other things and eat quickly. I need to focus more on tasting and chewing my meals. Hopefully putting that in writing will remind me the next time I sit down to eat. 

12:00 pm I drybrushed my skin and took a baking soda bath. Now I want to take a nap! I don’t feel weak or tired really, just relaxed and not hungry yet.  I’ve now finished cutting up the grilled chicken and made the lentil-lime salad. I also have brown rice on the stove. Annyka and I have cleaned up the living room and vacuumed the main floor of the house. I’ve taken out all the trash and gathered up all the laundry (haven’t actually washed any though). The bar in the kitchen is still pretty messy, but I can get that straightened up before the end of the day. Now that I said I wasn’t hungry, I am. So I’m going to go ahead and fix my Greek salad. 

12:30 pm This salad seems huge. I had to use a serving bowl to fit all the lettuce.  But that’s the benefit of veggies – you can eat a ton before you get full and still not take in too much junkiness.  Now I think I will lay down and rest a little…because I can! 

6:30 pm Late afternoon is definitely the hardest time of day for me. I start to feel weak and a little light-headed. But I made it to dinner regardless. And it was excellent – black beans & rice with guacamole, salsa and corn. I can also have steamed kale, but I’m saving that for a little later when I get hungry. We successfully washed the van and cleaned up the living room and kitchen. Dining room is still messy and I did no laundry. But it too hot right now to do much and I’m still refusing to turn on the A/C just yet.  I’ve also wasted time searching for a Redbox movie that I managed to lose while cleaning the house.
8:15 pm I just had my steamed kale. It wasn’t too bad. I’ve had kale in soup before, but never by itself. I added a clove of coarsely chopped garlic to the steamer basket.