Saturday, it's a Saturday!

Ah early morning!  Too bad the pups had me up at 3am to go outside and then continued to hog the beg for the next 3 hours!  But the good thing was getting to the farmers market right when they opened.  I love to beat the crowd.  In and out, no bumping into a bazillion people!

And it was cold out there too!  Not sure if you can make out that temp but it says 14. Brrrr!  I actually felt comfortable in my heavy coat.

The nice thing about this market is it's covered so no worries of the cold, rain or whatever!  I was able to get some meat, cabbage, onion, sweet potatoes and cauliflower.  I even bought the pups a donut.  There are gluten free vendors and even one paleo vendor too, squeee!  But, I can't eat it anyway! LOL.

While I was there D called me completely irritated because the bank had blocked his credit card while he was in China with no way to contact them while there.  Apparently, 800#s and China don't mix.  But, it's all straight now.  He got home and I made breakfast for us.  He had eggs with cheese and bacon and I had brussels, green beans, chicken and bacon.  A little while later I was hungry so I cooked up some Trader Joe's Grilled Cauliflower.  I'm definitely needing to up my veg and fat and decrease my protein.

 Before I headed to the gym I was bad and ate a couple tablespoons of peanut butter.  So, even though I will not be eating this for several weeks I noticed the other day when I had almond butter - headache and the next day I was exhausted and foggy.  Last night nothing from the peanut butter I ate.  This is not uncommon with someone with an autoimmune, but an interesting experiment on myself.  Wonder if I will be able to eat almond butter again one day without the reaction.

Don't bother looking for this one!  Pumpkin Spice was a seasonal flavor that obviously I got this past fall.  It's half full.  I like it but it's not my most favorite ever.  One day I will do a top 10 peanut butter list!

I waited to get to the gym long enough.  I was going to post more than this at the gym.... I forgot!  I was in it to win it today.  Today it was all about shoulders and arms.

Here's the breakdown in between sets I did bodyweight squats or ab tucks:

20 minute elliptical

5 sets shoulder press 27.5# dumbbells

4 sets lateral raises 12.5# dumbbells

4 sets chest supported reverse fly 10# dumbbells

4 sets skull crushers 30# barbell

4 sets bicep curls 12.5# dumbbells

20 minute treadmill walk at 4.2, 2% incline

We kinda went out for dinner, well take out.  D wanted pancakes and the only gluten free thing on the menu was bacon.  Not even their potatoes were gluten free and I'm allergic to eggs so no omelette for me.  I brought home the 3 pieces of bacon (which I should have just made here and saved the $5!) and sautéed asparagus, green beans and butternut squash in some duck fat.  It was really good but I was hoping to go out to eat.  As you had seen I didn't do that at all this week.  I didn't even go grocery shopping as I normally would.  I have Sunday to go out, which is doubtful then 12 weeks on being strict.  I doubt we will go out.  If we do I don't know how it will happen, probable struggle for me.

I still needed to go to Trader Joe's for the rest of the groceries for the week.  I'm sure I will need to pick something this week.  I thought I forgot my list then when I left I found it.  Oh well!  The best thing on my way home was a coconut milk chai from Starbucks without the water.  So good.  I have had anything out all week.

I did mention I was making a meal plan this week.  So, here is my list from two bloggers I am following -Adventures in Partaking and Eat Heal Thrive.

From Adventures:

Orange Chicken (for D) I can't have fruits the first 4 weeks in my protocol

Lamb Bacon Spinach Burgers

Veggalicious Shepherds Pie

From Eat Heal Thrive:

Bubble & Squeak

Greek Meatballs

Breakfast Bison Skillet

So there it is, my Saturday!  As I'm typing this I am drinking water with ACV and had 2 carob coconut butter cups.  There may be Siete chips in the near future too.  We shall see, ugh they are SO ADDICTIVE!!

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It's Friday!!

Friday and leg day!  Two great combo's!  Finally the gym was open after a power outage.  I got there at 5am and did a light run of about 2 miles.  Then it was over to the weights.

Here is my breakdown:

20 minute run
3 sets of single leg gluten bridges
5 sets deadlifts
4 sets of curtsy squats
5 sets of weighted hip thrusts
3 sets of calf raises
3 set of stability ball roll outs
3 set of stability ball bridges

If I had more time I would have done 10 more minutes of cardio.  So I came home and showered and made breakfast, which included some Bubbies Sauerkraut.  Bacon, chicken, brussels all cooked in coconut oil.  I also made a cinnamon orange coconut milk latte.  I haven't had a chai all week and I think that is what I will get tomorrow morning after the farmers market in Royal Oak.

I have to say that I have been feeling really good after breakfast but I know I need to drastically increase my vegetable consumption.  This morning after I got to work I wasn't feeling well at all.  It definitely felt like a flare.  I was super sleepy and just feeling run down.  Could have been the fermented sauerkraut or possible the almond butter or cassava pancakes from the night before.  So needless to say that work today was a major struggle, but I made it!

I got home for lunch a little later than what I would have liked but it was enough time to throw this salad together.  

Mixed field greens with olives, green beans, grilled cauliflower, canadian bacon and the last of the avocado crema.  Looks boring but was really good and filling.  I was able to get back to work and have some tea and finish out my day.

D comes home in the morning so I wanted to make sure I had his staples.  I ran to the store after work  to pick everything up.  I arrived home to 3 hungry furry creatures.  Nostrand kitty meowed like crazy, while the dogs danced around as I prepared their dinner.  I think the dogs liked my homemade coconut milk yogurt.  So good, but I rushed the process and it didn't firm up like it should have.  Lesson learned!

I grabbed the leftover pancakes from the refrigerator and Peanut Butter & Co's Pumpkin Spice PB.  I figured if I get a headache tonight it would be the pancakes, even though they are AIP compliant and I know the peanut butter isn't but I'm pretty sure it was the almond butter.  I also ate a couple bites of chicken that I didn't picture.

I also received my supplements today.  I'm getting excited for Monday and the beginning of more healing!  

It's quite a bit, but really not too bad.  The odd thing will be the shake 3 times per day.  I've never been a huge fan, I always feel hungry right after.  I need to chew my food for it to count.  Of course I can just incorporate that with my normal meals or have it as a snack which I try not to do as much.  Some of these are once a day and some two times.

I emailed my doc and he wants me to wait and start these until after our Skype appointment Monday morning.  He wants to go over everything including the eating plan.  So I guess I have an extra day to prepare!

Tomorrow I will get up early and it the market.  By the time I get home D should be home.  We have a house showing (never mentioned that we are selling our house!).  Will head to the gym later followed by dinner out.  Sunday is run day and prepping for the week.

Happy Friday!

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A "cheat" night. It's just almond butter!

This morning I got early.  I planned on going to the gym and just jog for a while.  I got dressed and headed out only to find they were still closed!!  They had closed yesterday at 3pm for some unknown to me reason.  They didn't state they wouldn't be open the next morning at 5am!  Complete darkness and a lot of cars that were pulling away.  I think there were too many unhappy gym goers!  Lucky for me I have a home gym.  So, I grabbed my laptop and found a YouTube cardio video and off I went!  I got just sweaty enough and elevated my heart rate for 30 minutes.

I haven't been getting my 11,000 daily steps in lately and it's something I need to work on.  Since I took this new job it has been difficult.  Prior to that easy peasy!

I showered and was ready to fix breakfast.  I had potatoes that I roasted from the last two nights dinner, so I gave those to the pups after I took a couple bites.  I made my usual dandelion tea coconut milk latte.  I love it with unsweetened vanilla coconut milk.  I love almond milk too but since I am weening to more AIP by Monday I have been loving the coconut milk.  Then I fried up brussel, bacon and beef.  I left all the bacon fat in there to get absorbed into the brussels.  It's so yummy I can't stand it!  I made another latte before I left for work.

Lunch is just odd.  I grab whatever sounds good even if they are weird together!  Trader Joe's Grilled Cauliflower and Epic Pork Rinds.  I did top the cauliflower in avocado crema.  I mean why not!  I even did the pork rinds in there too.  It was tasty and hit the stop.  I also have been drinking a lot of water.  I should be getting in between 60 and 70 ounces per day.  It's a work in progress to say the least cause I would rather not drink water.

I was starving by the time I got home.  I mean really, lunch was not going to keep me full no matter how much water I drank!  Cassava Flour Pancakes! from Adventures in Partaking.  I'm sure I didn't cook them long enough.  I think they will make good wraps!  I only made half the batch.  Look at them cook!

I made bacon and topped with almond butter (opps! not AIP!) I also had 2 pieces of canadian bacon or ham.

I have 6 pancakes left, so I think I will use some tomorrow at lunch and wrap chicken and lettuce in them.  They are that versatile!  Dessert was 2 homemade carob coconut butter cups.  I made a second batch!  I figured on Monday I won't be eating them so get it all in now! No, it's not a good plan but that's what I'm going with!

This weekends plan is to do just that!  Plan all the things.  Mostly I need to plan my meals since D will be back home and he will want dinner after all.  He can be picky and easy at the same time.  As long as I have his staple ingredients all should be well!

I get all my supplements tomorrow and will be talking about those.  Granted I won't start them until Monday but getting prepped is the best possible action.  Pictures that won't be food! YAS!

One last thing!  I'm going to become a beachbody coach.  I figured I love fitness and I'm already a yoga and group fitness instructor, why not get in with a good company and grow my business!  Be on the look out for that one.

This morning after a not so restful sleep, since it stormed.  I had no problem but Jack, the big Dawg did.  This is him when the storms started, he was laying on my shoulders.  Then all night he was restless and on my head.

I got up a little later than I have been this week and went downstairs to get some cardio in.  My training plan states today was a cardio only day.  So I went to YouTube and found a 30 minute cardio kick boxing.  It wasn't too bad.  I usually do a Popsugar video but thought I would change it up.  Tomorrow's schedule should be a rest day but I think I will go to the gym and jog.

Avocado Crema!  It's dairy free.  I saw this on Pinterest a couple days ago and I had a lonely avocado in my refrigerator so I thought I would try it.  OMG!  My answer to mayo since I can't have eggs!  YES!  Too perfect.  So I cooked up 2 beef patties with roasted cauliflower and topped it with this creamy delight.  Heavenly!

I came home at lunch and remembered that I had nothing in the house to eat.  I had to think quickly!  I remembered my canned tuna and frozen green beans.  Easy and mixed with that crema from this morning with some Epic Sea Salt & Pepper Pork Rinds.  Tasty filling lunch!

On my way home from work I stopped at the local store to pick up a few items so I could eat food the rest of the week.  I bought some liverwurst which I love and had a slice on my way home.  I cooked up some chicken, pan roasted some brussel sprouts in olive oil and topped some baby field greens with roasted potato and kalamata olives.  Can I say avocado crema just one more time?!

After dinner and cleaning up I did a workout that came to me in my email from Coconuts & Kettlebells, cause it sounded fun and hey it's kettlebells! It's from Noelle Tarr - Nothin' but a Kettlebell.  It was a not too sweaty workout, just something to get me moving a little more tonight.

Overall, the day was good.  Everyone at work is doing a cleanse for Lent so I don't feel alone in this 4 weakfish journey.  Getting in all the water I should be drinking is difficult though.

Now it's time to chill with the pups!

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Day 2 I'm not counting anymore

I read it a lot as I'm sure you do as well.  Most people start a blog for accountability, to share maybe with others if they come along.  I think it's a good reason for me as well.  I need to be able to check in and write about what is going on.  I believe that it can be about anything and everything because somewhere out there people are going through similar situations and it's comforting to know that you are not the only one.  It's scary too.  Everyday I read about people with Hashimoto's that don't get proper treatment and think they are crazy and it's all made up.  They are a hypochondriac.  I was labelled as that growing up, I was never listened to.  So much later did I have to be my own health advocate and so glad I did because I have answers, not solutions but a journey now.

This morning while at the gym at 5am.  I know I should get rest but I'm dealing with insomnia, it's on the list.  Trust me.  I'm not tracking my foods any more.  There is no reason to at this point.  I know what clean, healthy eating looks like and even feels like.  So I am going to go with what I know and if something goes funky I know I can pick it back up again.

This mornings gym work out was like this.

20 minutes elliptical at fat burn so around 121 HR for me

35 minutes lifting:

Chest press

Incline chest press

Eccentric pull up

Chest supported rows

Planks

Side Planks

15 minute treadmill walk at 4.0

Here is my keto brekkie this morning.  3 pieces of bacon, turkey/beef mix and avocado.  Cinnamon Orange tea latte with coconut milk.  Really is good.  I also ate 2 olives while everything was cooking

Then Nostrand decided she was going to get her best attempts in at taking my meat.  Bad kitty!

I forgot to snap a pic of my lunch since I come home everyday to let the dogs out.  But it was the steak I had last night (and tonight) and roasted cauliflower.  Not so thrilling!  I think coming home is the highlight of my day!  Once I get back to work I count down the hours!  So bad.

Tonight's dinner was the rest of the steak from the last couple meals with roasted fingerling potatoes and roasted green beans.  I roasted them in coconut oil, which is always fabulous!

And dessert!  I made carob coconut butter cup.  Melt coconut oil and add carob powder.  I eye balled it.  Coconut butter solidifies pretty easy so this is based on taste.  Place a little in a small paper cup and place in freeze.  In the meantime melt some coconut butter.  Pull the base out of the freezer, make sure they are solid and place to butter on top and then top with remaining carob mixture and freeze.  Easy peasy right!

So for now until I get my plan from my functional medicine doctor I am focusing on AIP Whole 30/21DSD.  Just because it's a combination of the 2 protocols.  This way I stick to AIP and eliminate sugar.  So far it hasn't been bad at all.

I have been surfing Pinterest for anything I can find, but I named AIP 21DSD.  Check it out!

Keeping up the accountability!

I'm not counting this as day 1 until after my appointment.

My Sunday never ended.... Wha...?? I mean I didn't sleep, ok well technically after last night's post I fell asleep on the couch.  BIG MISTAKE!  I woke up before 10 with the Oscar's still on and ate a carob coconut buttercup I made (it's AIP!).  I tried to go to bed but after 30 minutes of laying there I decided to get up.  At 2:30 I started to watch Cake Boss, I love anything cake or cupcake decorating that was followed by DC Cupcakes.  Naturally I got hungry!  I made some banana bread, again AIP approved from Eat Heal Thrive, last week and I under-baked it.  I have no issues with this.  I cut it up and wrapped each piece and placed it n the freezer.  Zapped in the microwave and YUM.

The gym doesn't open till 5am, so I will be going as soon as it opens.  Probably not the best to go on no sleep, but I'm stubborn and I do what I'm scheduled to do, no matter how I feel.  Today is cardio and chest legs.  Lifting makes me happy for sure.  3 minutes till the gym opens, I feel a little hungry.  I mean really a small piece of banana bread doesn't always cut it.

I went to the gym and it was busy of course.  But not crazy like in the evening or on the weekend, which I can't stand!  I got my workout in.

This was my second exercise - leg press.  I started out with 40 lb. dumbbell squats, followed by leg press.  I only did 90 lbs. since I haven't slept.  After that was back extensions, walking lunges with 25 lbs. in each hand and calf raises.

This is the last of my ABS Protein Pancake mix (SO GOOD!), not AIP, nor is the almond butter.  MMMmmm.... just a tasty breakfast!

I had my first appointment at lunch with my functional medicine doctor via Skype from the comfort of my dining room.  Very cool that this can be done!  So many issues I have, it's pretty depressing!  A few interesting sensitivities that I have with food: eggs, dairy, salmon, banana, broccoli and a few others.  Those were my staples!  Not so much the salmon but everything else.  I'm still surprised that strawberries and walnuts weren't on the list since I have a similar reaction t them like the bananas.  See that breakfast picture... those banana's won't be happening.  This make me sad but now I know why I have the tongue sensitivity.  I am happy that a treatment plan is coming and I will have my autoimmune diseases under control and can feel "normal".

Now I am home again from work, starving and eating dinner which is super tasty!  I snack on a bar and liverwurst at lunch, no not together.  Like an hour apart, that's just gross!

My "dessert" was 2 homemade carob coconut butter cups.  Just super easy to make since all you have to do is melt coconut oil and stir in carob for the shell and melt the coconut butter till you can pour it. Layer, freeze and done!

Now to hope I sleep tonight, which I think I will.  So happy for it too!  Till tomorrow and maybe something fun for dinner....calzone? hhhmmmmmm........

Seriously.... AIP and what else?!

I already have so many partially finished posts that I just need to get one done!  Have you been there?  Stop and start..... vicious cycle.  I don't think I have ever done that so much with this as I have right now.

Let's just come straight to the point.  I have now 2 autoimmune conditions - Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Lupus (January this year).  January was my worst month ever.  I lost a great job (brain fog) and had a month where I was in a perpetual flare.  If prior to 9 years ago, if you were to tell me that food could make you feel like you were in hell I would have laughed.  Now I believe it is everything.  You put the wrong thing in and you are going to pay for it!  If you can imagine having a migraine without the pain, the flu, a concussion and a head cold all at the same time but only effecting your head, that is how I felt.  I would be alright in the morning but as the day went on I would be in a downward spiral.

February 1st I started a lazy AIP.  Why lazy you say?  Well I would occasionally eat an egg, or a potato, or almond butter.  Nothing to excess though.  For the most part I felt fine, but really I can tell that I shouldn't eat those things.  I had cheese a couple days ago and OMG it was the worse thing ever!  I so love cheese, maybe one day again.

Here was my dinner tonight

Organic top sirloin steak, roasted brussel sprouts and purple sweet potato. Ignore the wine, I told you I was a lazy AIP.  Besides, I just found out I have a bad case of candida (which we all have in our intestines) and I'm getting a protocol tomorrow.  So kinda living it up!  I have gotten a few things out of my system, or out of the house by eating them - protein bars, wine.... Sweets!  Luckily, my husband is out of town for the week so I will be a week in to my new protocol.  Hopefully I will be nice when he returns!

I'm certainly there for those who need some help.  I have done a lot of research over the years and I'm always willing to give opinions, or just be there to bounce ideas off from or just a shoulder to rant on.  I'm here to steer you in the right direction!

I'm wanting to start to coach again too.  So you see why I have so many posts that I still haven't finished and will to soon.  This week is my week of prioritizing!

But, I will start to post what recipes I have tried and how my protocol is going and what is entailed in it.  Looking forward to feeling better!!