Whole30 Journey - Day 4

Ah Friday, a work day and Day 4 of Whole30/Sugar Detox.  Why both?  Because I don't really follow one in particular, I like a mix of both worlds.  And really, aren't they just the same with a few minor tweaks?!  Some say Lara bars are good, others say they are not.  I did get a couple even though I find that they have too many carbs for me and they are made with nuts.  For emergency hunger situations I figured 1 every now and then is ok.  Days in a row and I face break outs!

So my day began as usual for a workday.  I get up early (4:30am) and immediately jump into 30 minutes of yoga.  The big dawg is always there by my side.  If I stay upstairs he is good and doesn't bump into me.  Today I started upstairs and then came downstairs to finish (he had to go outside) and he just kept running into me.  Oh that big dawg!  I just love him!

Breakfast on this 4th day was the last of my chorizo sausage (insert sad face!), some sriracha brussel sprouts (put smile back on face!), arugula and red pepper all sautéed up together and my swiss water processed decaf from Allegro (with cinnamon).  So much flavor and just so good!

I cleaned up everything, the fur babies were all taken care of and D was going to drive me to work since it was like negative 18 degrees this morning and walking wouldn't be the best!  Though I would walk home since the temperature would be better.

I was having a busy day at work and took the last of my chocolate chili for lunch.  As I was finishing I forgot to document it!  Haha, how else would you know what I had?!  Like I said I was busy and just all over the place (nothing new there).  I didn't even warm it up.  I was taking bites between doing all the things so it kinda got to room temperature which was perfect.

After getting home and taking everyone out, picking up the slight disaster in the living room and feeding them I ate a few bites of coconut manna and did a little more yoga to wind down.  Day 4 of Yoga with Adriene was on the floor and I was having a hard time just sitting/laying there, so I ended the video early.  I should have made myself just do it, I should get credit for doing 90%!  I was also getting hungry and needed to get my dinner going.  D was going to the gym after work so I prepared mine, I didn't want to wait 2 hours.

I broiled some salmon and topped it off with half a avocado and a drizzle of salsa verde.  I had leftover white sweet potato, green beans and asparagus, all of which I placed in the broiler as well and just added salt when finished.  I love simple meals.  It's even better when you prep ahead and can easily throw it together in under 10 minutes!  It was a good amount of vegetables that I hope will keep me satiated for the night (think I will be!).

I don't know if people complain about being hungry while doing a "detox" or not.  I know that I haven't been.... well unless I'm just totally being out of my mind and under eating which for sure has happened.  Probably a lot more in the past than now, another time to go into that!

Until Day 5!

Whole30 Journey - Day 3

Day 3!  Woot!

Early yes, but I don't feel different, but then this isn't anything extreme to me!  If anything I am just more prepared than I have been previously!

I went to bed really late and still got up around 7:30.  I had some coffee first in a fun mug I got when I was at Universal Florida.

About an hour later I decided to have some breakfast.  I was going to the gym later since I had to wait to hear from a service guy and when he was coming.  I also decided to get some other things done while waiting around.  Multi-tasking at it's best!

Breakfast skillet bowl!  Leftover chicken thighs sautéed with collard greens, arugula, red peppers, and caramelized onions.  I decided to hold off on the chorizo sausage till dinner tonight and re-create the Blake Bowl at 7Greens.  It's seriously so good and at some point I will go back and maybe try something else! Yeah right!

Lunch was a revisit to Melissa Joulwan's Chocolate Chili.  I wasn't really hungry but figured it was best to eat something since I just lifted heavy.  The good thing is I have enough for lunch tomorrow while I'm at work.

I finished off a few other things and decided it was a good idea to do some yoga to stretch out.  It was day 3 of Yoga with Adriene's True.  It was all about stretching today, so totally perfect!

I was super excited for dinner, I wanted to re-create 7Greens Blake Bowl, but I made a few changes.  Spinach and arugula as the base then on top is a scrambled egg (1), chorizo (1 link), roasted white sweet potato (used 1/2 of a large), avocado (1/2) and salsa verde.  It was seriously so good!  While I was getting it together and making D's dinner (pancakes) I had a few bites of coconut manna.  I tend to get pretty hungry all of a sudden and need to have something.  Apparently I just can't wait!

So now I am relaxing, drinking roasted dandelion tea and getting ready for work tomorrow.  Meals are already planned and prepped so nothing more I need to do now.

Until tomorrow for Day 4!

A beginning in the middle....

Today is another start... a start of something I keep meaning to do.  We have all been there.  We have the grand idea and we have these big plans and then.... (Yes, I love to use ....).  Life, jobs, other projects or activities get in the way of the best intentions and before you know it, it's a year later.

I started a blog a long while ago, the last post was 3 years ago.  I don't think it was going where I really wanted it to go, but ultimately I'm not sure about this one either.

Here is my thought.  I want to talk about being healthy, that's not too hard.  I have learned so much from where I began over 4 years ago when I stumbled onto Diane Sanfilippo and Practical Paleo.  I was/am following Purely Twins and were talking about her new book.  I had tried so many things in the past (not that I was looking to lose weight.... maybe?) and wanted to finally get healthy.  I believe I started to search around about this person and soon bought the book as well as Liz Wolfe's skin care guide.  4 years later, I am still Paleo, though I would have to say more Primal and following Jason Seib's AltShift.

Ok, so who am I and why does any of this matter?  Well, maybe it's to document the process I have gone through from the beginning in hope's that others will learn from my mishaps.  Maybe it's to show what a healthy, strong lifestyle can be.  Of course, I am not saying I am perfect and know everything.  I'm still learning something new everyday.  I want to document that, as well as anything super tasty I make in the kitchen!.  I'm also hoping to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, like those that I currently follow are.

I almost forgot to say who I am!  My name is Heather and currently 40 years old.  I don't mind stating my age since I never "felt" my age.  Unless many are lying to me, I have been told I look much younger.  Yay for my husband, right!  I am a former marathoner.  I qualified for Boston during my second marathon.  I ran Boston the year after the bombings and I have to say what a euphoric experience it was.  I also did a half Ironman (70.3) almost 2 years ago now.  I run now, but mostly just to enjoy the feeling.  2 months after my Ironman I developed a hip fracture.  I went all out too!  My fracture was in the femoral neck of my right hip, worse place ever!  I was diagnosed with osteopenia and have been in the process of building my bone mass.  I have also been diagnosed with Hashimoto's.  I'm blaming the years of being a vegetarian.  I certainly was not healthy during those 10 years!  I can get into all that at another time.  I also have been a yogi for about 16 years and been teaching for 7 years.  I started following Yoga with Adriene in October to get back into morning yoga and more flexibility.

So flash to now.  I'm sitting in my living room, in a small chair typing with my 55 lb. German Shorthaired Pointer Jack, smashed in next to me and my ever loyal Vizsla Stryker across from us on the couch.  It's a freezing rain here in Michigan, I'm waiting for the snow to begin.  It's the 3rd snow-pocalypse here (I work in a upscale market, that's how these things are treated).

So until next post.... here are a few pictures.

Boodles (19 years old - aka - Old Man)

Jack - 8 year old GSP

Stryker - 9.5 year old Vizsla