Update

Hi All!
I know I haven't posted here (or anywhere) for awhile, but thought it might be good to update on my progress.

At this point, Nov 4, 2012, I have spent the past 5+ months tracking what I eat through Weight Watchers, monitoring my portion sizes through that program, as well as aiming for 300 minutes of exercise each week.

With great success!  I've lost 36 pounds since then (and almost 50 since the summer we got married in 2010).  As of last weigh-in on Tuesday, I'm at 172.8 pounds. Crossed over from obese to overweight at the end of July, and have about 13 pounds to go until I'm within the normal BMI range.

I've also been maintaining a gluten-free diet, which has translated, for the most part to fewer carbs, and the carbs have focussed on whole grains, mainly rice.  Most of my "fun" food has come in the form of non-fat yogurt.  I've been mixing it with lovely things like prickly pear tea and stevia, or organic canned pumpkin and stevia and pumpkin spices.

Recently, a nutritionist/nurse practitioner alerted me to and reminded me of the inflammation that can be caused by dairy foods.   She also started me on Zylflamend for inflammation.  In the back of my mind I've known this was coming, and am doing lots of research and taste-testing for a fine substitute base for my yogurt "treats".  Unfortunately, my trips to the froyo shops may come to a screeching halt unless I stumble upon a shop that offers non-dairy options, or I become excited about sorbet (not so excited about the sugar in these products).

I know it was quick... but I will try to keep posting here.  I'll post some more recipes as I come across them, modify them, and try them out!

Thanks for checking in!
Blessings,
Stephanie

Liver Cleanse and Detox

It has been over three weeks since my last check in.  I have barely given any of this a thought in this time, except for continuing to eat as well as possible, get a walk in when I can and do the liver detox.

Pharmacy school took over once again, but now there's a little extra time for getting back on track with the daily stint on the elliptical plus a walk in the evenings with my dear and patient hubby.  I haven't weighed in, although sometime during last week I had a strong urge to, thinking I could easily be under 200 lb now.... but I didn't, I guess because I didn't want to know and think about it anymore, in case I was still just at 200 or had gained any.  I had way too much more on my mind to accomplish and study and I didn't want to be distracted as I would have felt compelled to write about it.

I am going to wait until this coming Monday morning to weigh in, but I wanted to take some time and describe the liver detoxification I am doing.  It's pretty low-key compared to some I've done in the past.  I figured since my diet is quite non-toxic as it is, that I needn't let go of even more things and that I could let the medical food do its thing.  I have started with the UltraClear medical food that Metagenics produces, and added their product AdvaClear to help promote the detoxification process.  I mix the UltraClear (2 scoops) with a mixture of 1/2 to 1 cup organic apple juice and 2 cups filtered charged water.  I shake it in a cool shaker bottle I bought at Vitamin Cottage.  At this point I'm at two servings of this each day.  My routine looks like this:  

Wake Up

Meditate

Cruise Moves for core, belly-flattening (eventually!) work

Breakfast with Richard before he goes to work, very low sugar, little carb plus our supplements

Work out for 30 minutes on elliptical or walk around the "block" a couple of times, around 30 min.

Shower

Drink a full glass of filtered and charged water with 2.5 tablespoons of psyllium husks

About an hour after that I drink my first UltraClear drink of the day.  The other is in the middle of the afternoon.  

Lunch is light, usually hummus and almond thins, or a salad, or sometimes 2-3 ounces of grain-fed, hormone free beef.

Snacks are generally nuts, or a string cheese, , blue corn chips with salsa, or sometimes a nibble of organic dark chocolate.  It depends on what I'm studying or working on.

Another snack is a mix of unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze mixed with a scoop of Jay Robb's chocolate protein drink. 

Dinner tends to be quite light with a protein, maybe a carb and lots of vegetables.

We try to walk before dinner, at least around the mile long block.  Some nights we have a yummy no/low fat, sugar-free treat made with non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with matcha green tea powder and Barlean's flavored sweetened fish oils, either lemon or orange creme.    I will post this recipe soon.

I honestly have not been very hungry lately, and/or my attitude about food has shifted a little, maybe a lot.  Last week we barely had any solid food in the house, it seemed, and I was mostly ok with that, maybe because I had far too many things to do and take care of and was happy for the convenience of my liquid drinks and meals.

Anyhow, the things I have noticed while doing the UltraClear detox system is feeling calm, feeling clean, sleeping well most nights.  I feel as though my liver and gall bladder are getting the attention they've needed.  One of the main goals for starting it was to help with my monthly cycle at the suggestion of the acupuncturist I visited in August.  I would have to say that *maybe* it has helped, there was less pain, a bit more regularity, but this is the topic of a different blog.  I am going to continue the liver cleanse in this manner for at least a few more weeks to see if it will help further in this regard, but I feel, in terms of dietary cleansing it has served its purpose and I feel pretty darned good!

It's kind of interesting that in my latest order of Metagenics products as a practitioner that yesterday I was offered a special to purchase several liver detox packages for patients/customers, a $110 value for $80 (including the UltraClear medical meal plus the AdvaClear and a bag and nifty shaker bottle, and information pamphlets).  I went back and forth wondering how popular this would be with my current clientele and declined for the time being, however if I hear that people are interested, I will jump in and get several sets to provide to those who are interested in detoxification.

Random Check In: Sept 12

I decided to weigh in this morning with the thought that maybe I'd be under 200 lb.  Alas, I was at 200.4!  I'm not sure that scale knows how to register under 200 lb.  Seriously!  Anyhow, it DID give me hope that with a bit of extra effort this week that I could actually see a "1" rather than a "2" at the beginning of the number. 


I've been feeling pretty good, walking, and working out on the elliptical, eating well, although a lot of last week was a "cheat" week now and then.


I went to the doctor last week for a physical, and all of my "numbers" (cholesterol, liver enzymes, glucose, C-reactive protein, and anything else I have been concerned about in the past) were well within the normal ranges.  I was VERY happy about this.  I told the doctor that the food I eat is very healthy and I am very aware of it, and I exercise, etc.    She wondered if my frustration with not being able to get below 200 pounds might be a portion control thing, and since I'm over 40 my metabolism may have slowed WAY down.  Then she asked me about pharmacy school and how it was going, and she said that it could also be that the stress of school could be pumping cortisol and making me hang onto the weight, and that it is good to relax now and then (which I think I'm pretty good at, actually).  *sigh*  Anyway, I am not too dismayed.  I'm actually encouraged, somehow... and only 10 more pounds to lose until I'm not considered "obese".  I can smell it, I can feeeeeel it... (This was the main thing listed on my medical report last week.  I'd like to make that not an issue.) The doctor said that even an additional 10% loss will make a difference, and that will take me to a BMI of 28.  Right now I'm at a 31.3.  Obese.  The 10% loss since last year has already made a difference. Less Obese!


I have started an Ultra Clear liver cleanse to assist with the other issues I'm contending with - which could also be contributing to my hanging onto weight- (My Experiment in Healing), so have additional motivation to keep my diet clean-ish.  Today I've done 40 minutes on the elliptical, walked an extra mile, done a set of Jorge Cruise's Cruise Moves for abdominal work, and did 9 reps of each of the Five Tibetans.  

Onward ho!  
I'll be checking in next week with great results!

Results of the One Week Challenge

Weigh in: 200.8lb; total pounds lost this week: 3.0
Waist measurement, the Jorge Cruise way: 41 inches, so minus one inch.

I did not quite get under 200 lb, but that will be soon.  At one point this week I was at 200.4lb, and was hoping....:-)  Alas, that is the pitfall of weighing more often than once each week, is seeing the natural weight fluctuations.


Despite the weight loss and inch lost, I cannot see the extreme of this diet being practical for brain usage and overall energy.  Not once this past week did I feel a huge energy burst, or a day where my muscles didn't feel fatigued.  Some days were better than others, but no day was super-charged.  Plus we were sleeping 9-10 hours each night.  Richard is ecstatic to be able to have carbs and "free" vegetables and Zevias.  In fact he just strutted in, with a big grin on his face, holding a Zevia, and announced, "Look what's FREE!"  Now he's sucking it down.  Happy boy!


We are planning to keep our sugar grams under 20, which will naturally reduce carbs for me, and our fat grams under 60 for me, and 85 for him.  We are also tracking our protein to make sure we get enough.  I have to keep it simple, as my time is going to be very limited for focus on this as classes begin this week.  We also decided, and I'm not sure if I mentioned this yesterday, that we are planning to have one meal each week where we don't have to track anything.  We are going to continue the "Cruise Moves" (the 8 minute workout each morning that is for toning and strength training), and continue our walking and my elliptical-ling. 


I fully expect to be under 200 pounds next Monday morning.  It's time, and on this plan, I'm sure it is more than possible. 

So, now,

Days Five and Six of Sugar Awareness Week

Yesterday went smoothly, although we did not do our four mile walk.  Neither of us has had abundant energy since beginning this One Week Challenge, and after all of the body and energy work I'd had the previous three days, it was time to take a break.  Today I moved my middle son into his dorm, which involved lifting and carrying on a day that is supposed to be a "break" day from the 8 minute exercise plan - oh well.


Yesterday's menus looked like this:
Breakfast: Chili Relleno Bake (essentially home-roasted Anaheim peppers sprinkled with a bit of low-fat Mexican-style cheese and a combo of whole eggs and egg whites whisked with some baking powder and salt and pepper).
Snack: Chocolate Protein Powder shake with unsweetened almond breeze
Lunch:  More Chili Relleno Bake
Snack: low-fat, hormone-free mozzarella cheese stick, and 2 Almond Butter Cups since I could spare the carb servings (Recipe for Almond Butter Cups)
Dinner: 4 ounces of delicious pan-fried steak (Richard had marinated tofu), spring greens with a bit of parmesan cheese and homemade red wine vinegar dressing, and some strawberries and blueberries with an ounce or two of nonfat plain yogurt sweetened with stevia.

Today:
Breakfast:  2 blue cornmeal pancakes with stevia-sweetened maple syrup
strawberries and blueberries with an ounce of non-fat plain yogurt with stevia
Snack: Chocolate whey protein powder shake with unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze
Lunch: (out with son at Egg & I) veggie fritatta (no mushrooms, no green peppers, no toast, no English muffin, and no potatoes - this made it is "free" Sugar/Carb meal, and it was very satisfying this way.
Snack:  Matcha green tea frappuccino (Match green tea with stevia blended with unsweetened plain Almond Breeze and Vanilla protein powder shake (Jay Robb- sweetened with stevia).
Plus we cannot forget our daily Almond Butter Cup allotment!
Dinner:  looks like it's going to be some roasted Anaheim peppers, mixed with some combo of cheese and corn tortillas (enough to make our carbs count, but not over-count), and probably a salad, too.


I do have to say, that on this diet, we have increased our saturated fat intake (cheese, a little bit of cream in the first frapuccino (Day 1), which can be tough on cholesterol levels, so I/we are thinking when we come to modifying our intake in light of sugar content of foods, we will be searching for a happier intake of types of fats. 


Having said all of that, I did sneak a peak at the scale this morning, and am at 200.4 pounds, which means that I've lost 3.4 lb in the last five days following this eating plan and doing the 8 minute exercises each morning.  We'll see on Monday what the grand total is and the difference from last week's waist measurement, and maybe I'll actually be under 200 lb, probably for the first time in several years.  That would be pretty cool (as would seeing it decrease more and more!)

Day Four: One-Week Challenge aka "Sugar Awareness Week"

"Challenge" is a good word.  When four spears of asparagus (yes, that is FOUR SPEARS) count for two of your daily SIX allotted Carb servings, and 1 of your 15 Sugars, then that's a serious challenge.  

As Richard and I walked this morning, we agreed that after this "Challenge" week is over, that we needn't count any of our vegetables as Carb servings.  He is really feeling the lack of carbs, as he has always had a fast metabolism, and naturally needs more food.  I keep offering for him to increase his carbs, but he insists he's going to complete the challenge "as is".  I even just offered him my last Carb, and he rejected it.  

I made a visit to a new (to me) acupuncturist, who, after a thorough intake and constitutional assessment, highly suggested that I eat grass-fed, hormone-free red meat (which will work well with this Belly Fat Diet, thankfully), but she also recommended greatly restricting the gluten-free breads and processed foods (which we've also been doing anyway due to the carb and sugar content of all breads, we clearly have to make every carb count with this).  She suggests following more of a "paleo" type diet, restricting refined carbs and keeping fat intake moderate.   Obviously that is going to take a bit more research and planning.  She was very much "for" my becoming sugar-aware, and was in agreement with the craziness of the nitpicky details of the Belly Fat Cure.  

Having said all that, we trudge ahead, even with our lower energy levels.  We like the protein shakes and reducing our sugar intake, and will likely take those two aspects with us into our future plan.  The acupuncturist also encouraged strength training, which we have introduced into our daily life through the Belly Fat Cure, so will likely move that forward and increase it with our new plan as well.  She is very much for our starting up tai chi and/or yoga again to help with daily life balance and keeping our energy flowing.

We are past the half-way point, just days 5, 6, and 7 to go.  We will see what results come from this week.  As of today I'd lost 0.8 pounds, so I have a way to go to the 4-9 pounds in one week "promised" with the Belly Fat Cure.  Perhaps if my diet was completely horrible and I didn't move regularly, this 4-9 pound loss would be attainable in one week.  But a big part of me is thinking that rate of weight loss is simply unhealthy. 

Day Three of One Week Challenge

Today, since I knew I was going to to be out and about most of the day, I packed my lunch, drinks and snacks.  The day started out with a fairly big breakfast including another Mediterranean omelet with the usual "free" veggies, a slice of gluten-free toast with olive oil and my bowl of fruit and yogurt (getting the Sugar counts in early in the day, so I could use them to get through the day - I learned from yesterday's fatigue!)   I packed a couple of mozzarella cheese sticks, a small container of tuna, and lots of celery with a dab of almond butter on each one.   I also included about 1/4 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds and a Virgil's Diet Root Beer (sweetened with stevia).  This seemed to hold me through the day all right.  I was pretty hungry when I got home, and Richard had prepared a light dinner for us that included some hummus with endive, and guacamole and 15 blue corn chips and a chocolate protein drink mixed into some unsweetened Almond Breeze.  Of course we had to each have an Almond Butter Cup afterwards.  Yum. 

Richard's pretty tuckered out, as am I.  We are a bit challenged by the fact that we need to limit our servings of fish each week to help decrease the amount of mercury we ingest.  Richard is a vegetarian who eats fish, so it looks like we need to look into some tofu options to increase our protein intake, along with the protein shakes we drink every day.  Everything I've read about greatly decreasing sugar in the diet is that it is supposed to increase your energy... maybe we are going through a natural process of fatigue as our bodies realize that it doesn't have free access to sugar anymore.


We're still in it, I continue to give Richard an "out" if he's not feeling well, but he plugs away with me, meticulously accounting for those Sugar grams and Carb counts.  Also, I notice that we are not getting to the 15 grams of Sugar every day, even if we eat 6 servings of Carbs, so maybe if we made sure we get all 15 grams that would help energy-wise.   

We did just a short walk around the neighborhood, about a mile, and it felt good.  Not much else to report here, except I am looking forward to seeing what results show up on Monday after all of this accounting of sugar and carbs, plus those crazy "mini" toning workouts every morning.   Maybe I will sneak a peak at the scale tomorrow morning, maybe not.  :-)

Belly Fat

Awhile ago my husband told me about a show he watched where Wayne Dyer was talking about an eating plan where you could eat only 20 g of sugar each day, along with other nutritional foods like protein, vegetables, and complex carbs, with the result of quickly losing extra belly fat.  I have kept this in the back of my mind since he told me about it, always thinking that 20 grams of sugar is not very much, and it must be pretty hard to stick to something like that.

As it turns out, it is The Belly Fat Cure, which allows only 15 grams of sugar, including the natural sugars in fruits and vegetables, so doesn't allow much extra anything in terms of sweets, unless one uses products with my favorite sweetener, Stevia.  I am aware that most of the world is already aware of this eating plan before I am  (even with Richard's knowledge of it) due to my lack of interest in commercial television and ads of any kind.  Suddenly I am aware of all aspects of the Belly Fat Cure because it seems like a reasonable path on which to experiment since one of my recent decisions is to cut any extra and hidden sugars from my diet.  I ordered three of his books that describe the eating plan, and so far, have been very impressed with Jorge Cruise's presentation of the data, and his ability to make it sound "simple".  In his book, The Belly Fat Cure: Discover the New Carb Swap System, I have enjoyed his visuals for foods and items that are good for your belly (those that help reduce belly fat) "Belly Good", and those that increase belly fat, therefore "Belly Bad".  Examples below: 

Our beloved Zevia soda is on the Belly Good side, all other sodas on the Belly Bad

Belly Good items include most of the items we have already switched over to, including gluten-free bread items

Belly Bad: all added sugars and artificial, man-made sweeteners; Belly Good: Stevia products

Healthier chip and snack items on the Belly Good side, and traditional, even Baked Lay's! on the Belly Bad side

 One of the books I bought is Jorge Cruise's 8 Minute a Day exercises specific to reduce belly fat.  Since this is the key area where I store extra fat, this plan seems to make sense.  I will continue my aerobic and cardiovascular workouts, but will add these toning exercises in. I can accommodate my wheat-free status with this plan, and my desire to decrease saturated fats (even though he doesn't emphasize this in his plan), and really become aware of the hidden sugars in everything I eat.  Our plan is to begin full force Monday and give the plan a whirl, the One Week Challenge, and meanwhile through the weekend, continue to observe and investigate the sugar content of the foods we eat normally, and decide how we are going to modify them further.  I am excited that there are more and more stevia-based products on the market from which to choose, and that this plan looks doable.  I will check in Monday morning with the stats (the main measurement for this is the waist circumference, but I will also be tracking my weight), and more of our plan.  We have prepared by doing our grocery shopping for next week to have on hand the food and items we will need to be successful.  Two of my boys will be home from college this weekend, and we want to remain flexible, food-wise while they are around.

It is pretty exciting to think that stevia is getting this amazing promotion.  This is one of the most exciting aspects of this discovery for me.

Wheat-free Ponderings and Possible Cleanse

I am now back to 202.8lb, so down 5.4lb from that super swollen weigh-in two weeks ago.  Ever since I reported the next day that the severe burning joint pain was gone, it has remained so, and I am grateful.  I have eaten no wheat for two weeks, and very little refined sugar.  I was exercising regularly until I caught a cold/strep at the family reunion last week, since then I've most been in bed with no appetite, so I'm sure that has helped a bit, although part of my recent diet has included Menchee's frozen non-fat yogurt and some delicious raw honey, all for throat soothing purposes.  Today I'm hoping to stroll a bit to get my lymph moving again; I will also do a focused colorpuncture treatment on myself to obtain lymph draining effects.

I toy with the idea of a cleanse and summer is a good time to do it.  It would probably be helpful to help clear out the remainder of this lingering illness (along with continued journaling and expressing).  I've done a few cleanses in the past.  The parasite cleanse with Dr. Mikio Sankey's parasite cleanse herbs and clean diet was exceptionally helpful for gaining clarity and insight, and removing both physical and emotional toxicities.  If I wanted to explore more of the diet-related allergy related toxicities, I might pursue the cleanse in The False Fat Diet, which is an elimination diet, for awhile, and then add foods back into the diet one by one while noting any reactions, such as congestion, or digestive issues, etc.  There is also the liver/gallbladder cleanse or the Ultra Clear liver cleanse.  I am leaning, at this moment, toward the parasite cleanse since I can still eat a healthy and clean diet, and I have the herbs on hand.  My brain and mind a slowly coming back on board from the illness knockout, so soon I'll be able to decide if this is appropriate for me, and then take action.

As for the wheat sensitivity, I am both excited and dismayed to have isolated one of the culprits of the severe joint pain I was experiencing.  Excited because the pain is virtually gone, and I know what caused it, and dismayed because wheat can be a difficult thing to eliminate from the diet and avoid in the general public.  When we were in the Tetons last week, eating out at one of the resort lodges, I was excited to obtain their gluten-free menu, and super excited when I saw that they had sandwiches available made with Udi's whole grain gluten-free bread.   Udi's is a bakery in Denver, and I often consume their ready-made fresh sandwiches and delicious salads purchased from local health food stores.  They now have a restaurant in Arvada (and other places around Colorado), which we are looking forward to trying.  Thankfully, companies like Udi's are making these products which saves me lots of bread-making experimental time that I can focus on other creative endeavors.  For more about Udi's check out: Udi's Food.  

At the reunion I worked around the wheat thing by making sure I had enough non-wheat foods to gnaw on.  My main intention for the trip was to stay within the DASH diet guidelines, and remain wheat-free.  I made lasagna for the reunion, with the whole kit-n-kaboodle of wheat noodles, eggs, cheese, sausage, etc., which is one of my favorite recipes, however it doesn't work for those of us who are wheat-free, or those of us who are meat-free, like Richard.  

My solution for lasagna night:  quinoa spiral noodles (I was on a big search for quinoa lasagna noodles - to no avail yet) mixed with Italian spiced tomato sauce, fat-free cottage cheese, a bit of grated parmesan cheese and mozzarella, and some Egg Beaters stirred and cooked in.  It was actually pretty tasty, and I didn't feel as though I was missing out on the lasagna at all.  I know my body was very, very happy to not have to contend with the extra calories and high saturated fat food.  I did consume several glasses of red wine that evening, which seemed to exacerbate my increasing sore throat and illness, so I refrained for the rest of the gathering, and since.

My plan is to continue on, possibly modifying the DASH diet to reflect the requirements of the parasite cleanse (no alcohol, no refined sugar/wheat, no caffeine, decreased dairy - and eating organic fruits and vegetables, and whole grains and clean proteins).  

I am glad to be feeling better, finally, and anticipating feeling even more energized as the days go by.  I am looking forward to when the scale decides that it can register under 200 lb for me.  :-)  I will post the details of the parasite cleanse soon.

Blessings and Great Joy in the meantime!

May 30, 2011: A new start on the DASH diet

It has been awhile since the last check in, and awhile since I last even thought about it.  The inspiration to check in comes from the fact that I've been experiencing some severe pain throughout all of the joints of my body, and increased heel pain.  I've also been experiencing lots of water retention which may be an effect of a medication I recently started to help with the worsening dysmenorrhea/menorrhagia I've been experiencing, and will hopefully even out after awhile.  

I recalled that one of my main original ideas, last summer and at the beginning of the year, for decreasing my overall body weight was to decrease the pain I'm experiencing.  I suspected with the increased pain that my weight was also increasing.  My wonderful hubby, Richard, also, very sweetly, reminded me that I had experienced much less pain when I eliminated wheat and refined sugar from my diet in February.  He is right and I am thankful for the reminder, and those items have made their way back into my diet on a regular basis.  More so the wheat than the sugar, but I've not been monitoring either.  School pretty much took over my life, so I stopped weighing, stopped recording everything in MyFoodDiary.com, and decreased, to an extent, the exercise. 

Here are my current stats:

Weight: 208.2lb (up 6 lb from 2 months ago, but down 3lb from the beginning of the year - and still down 11.8 lb from last August)

Percent body fat: 45.5% (which is down 1% from the beginning of the year - so perhaps all of the exercise has paid off in that area.  We remeasured my body parts, and almost all of them are back to the original size they were in January.

I feel a bit discouraged, and had hoped to have lost lots more by now, and certainly hoped Ihadn't gained but I really need to start again, taking it easy on myself (especially since some of the gain is this swollen puffiness of water retention), and continuing in a reasonable maintainable way.  

I had a recent conversation with one of my aunts who followed the DASH diet, lost all of her extra weight and was able to side-step taking the blood pressure medication the doctor had prescribed for her.  She is my inspiration for the DASH diet, as is the information I learned in my OTC class this past term.  I strongly recommend this eating plan to anyone who is at risk for, or is suffering from, hypertension.  I am choosing it for myself, not because I currently have high blood pressure, but because, with the family history on both sides, and my tendency to pre-hypertension and white coat syndrome, this choice makes the most sense to me to start eating this way now.

So, The DASH diet it is, in addition to eliminating refined sugars and wheat (for allergy/joint reasons).  

Aside from limiting daily calories, ensuring ample vegetables and fruits, and dairy like low- or no fat yogurt, the DASH diet helps to gain awareness of sodium consumption.  For more on the concepts and details of the DASH diet, visit: DASH Diet.

I've modified the Diet log given on the DASH site to accommodate 1600 calories, which is my goal.  

The food log looks like this:

 

This is where I will check off the items I eat.  I may still use MyFoodDiary to also track the specifics, if it's not too time-consuming.  My goal is to make it as natural as possible, where it doesn't consume my life.  It seems summer is a good time to start in again, with the goal of having the new way of eating as much of my being as breathing.  That way, when school starts again, it will be more natural, and less-time consuming.

My exercise goal is to be active at least 60 minutes each day, whether it is walking, utilizing the elliptical machine, or a combination (or even bicycling when I get a new bicycle...)  We also plan to incorporate tai chi back into our daily routine.

We will be at a family reunion next week, which can make eating a bit challenging, however, with a bit of planning and determination, I know that I will persevere and take the greatest care of myself.

Also, over the summer, I ought to have more time to implement the EFT aspect of my goals, which will likely help immensely.  I will keep you posted.  I won't be weighing in next week since we will be out of town, but for sure the Monday after that, and I know I will have splendid things to report.

Until then!  (Or before if something significant comes up before the weigh-in.)  I am greatly looking forward to easing the body pains with a lighter me.

Blessings!

A Successful Week

Check-in:  Weight: 202.8lb
Lost this week:  3.2lb -this is the most poundage lost in a week since I started in January and I think I finally figured out why it has taken so long.
Lost total this year: 8.4lb (lost since August: 17.2lb)

Two things were different this week.  One, I was still recovering from a bug I caught a couple weeks ago, and my appetite was very limited, so my portion sizes were kind of naturally limited.  If I ate anywhere near to too much (which was about half of what I'd normally eat), then I felt nauseous and my esophagus burned.  If I got too hungry, I would also feel nauseated.  That feeling has mostly subsided, however I decided that since my body was used to eating at this lower intake that I would go with it for the week and see what happened.  I didn't record anything into My Food Diary, just based my amount of healthy foods eaten by how my body felt.  Also, I made sure that I was on the elliptical each weekday for the full 45 minutes, plus I had several days where I had an additional number of miles walked since my son, Peter, was home from college and we walked into town a few times.

I have been reading more about the DASH diet used for reducing hypertension since we learned about it in my pharmacy school's Non-Prescription Therapeutics class.  I know that my tendency is toward high blood pressure, and I know that my maternal grandmother suffered greatly with trying to manage her blood pressure, and the end of her life was full of cardiovascular issues including multiple bypass surgery, amputation of one of her legs, etc.  As I understand it comes to me from both sides of the family and I definitely do not want to go that route if I can help it, and know that at some times in my life I have registered a blood pressure in the pre-hypertension level.   My blood pressure is pretty good right now, however I know I have a tendency to retain water and sodium causes discomfort.  

What I've decided to do is follow the DASH diet at the 1600 calorie/day level, still enter (as there's time) the things I eat in My Food Diary for comparison of the two plans, and, increase my elliptical workouts to 60 minutes per day.  I read last night in a DASH diet book, that 60 minutes is probably necessary to lose weight if the rest of one's life is mainly sedentary, which mine is, thanks to school.   I know I have a bit of a block to 60 minutes, it seems like SO much more time spent, however I will do some EFT to help clear the block with the hope that it will be at least somewhat enjoyable.

I'm super-psyched because once I lose 3 more pounds, I will be under 200 lb, which hasn't happened for a very long time.

This week will provide an extra challenge in that we are going out of town for four days, however I think if I use my smarts and common sense and have Richard back me up when it comes to making good food decisions, I will only be successful.  We aren't renting a car, and Seattle's considered a walking town, so I'm certain I will also get plenty of exercise.  I'm taking my pedometer to track and be able to report to the walking mile group I check into each week.

To Ever-Increasing Health and Life!

2-5-2011 Wheat-Free

The Week's Stats:

Weight: 205.0 lb, loss for week is 1.6 lb, and total loss is 6.2 lb. since 1/1/11.

This is more like it.  After last week's blog I spent the next few days pondering what to do with my suspected food sensitivities.  I knew I didn't have time or energy to revamp my entire diet to start in on an allergy elimination diet, but I knew something needed to change.  My intuition kept telling me to check into a gluten-free diet.  Even that would take a whole lot of effort and planning, and in the midst of the pharmacy school semester, I did not want to make too many changes to what I was already doing.  I did actually decide that February was going to be "gluten-free", but what did I do the first morning of February 1?  I ate steel cut oats for breakfast, which, of course, have their own gluten.  Noticing my frustration with myself, my hubby, Richard, suggested that maybe instead of ALL gluten, maybe just eliminate wheat products, since those are the most allergenic for most people.  That made the most sense of all.  That way I could still have my healthy steel cut oats, and just be super mindful of the wheat products around me and not eat them. Being a vegetarian, Richard isn't too keen on wheat-, or gluten-free, which is fine.  We stocked up on gluten-free breads at Whole Foods (and got him a loaf of wheat bread to gnaw on).  I am so grateful to live in an era where these products are available.  

Thus, for the last four days, I have not had any wheat products.   I've also kept to no refined sugar, and no dairy (except for my Wallaby yogurts), including cheese, one of my favorite and worst dietary culprits.  I do have to say, that even after just four wheatless days, my body feels far less bloated, far less gassy, and "cleaner".  Also, the cardiac exercise seemed easier.   Interesting.  I'm going to give "wheat-free" a month, and see if it gets even better and better, or if there might be something else I need to eliminate.  I'll call this the Reverse Elimination Diet.  I am also pondering doing a cleanse over Spring Break in March, to clear even further.  There's no way I'll do something like that while I have so much homework and studying to do.  I am also surprised by how easy it is to not eat wheat products.  Of course we haven't eaten out yet to face that wheat-free challenge.

The exercise has been good, with the Gazelle elliptical 45 minutes 4 mornings this week.  Last weekend we went on a couple of 4 mile walks.  The weather was not compatible for outdoor walks this week due to -15 degree temps and lower with wind chill and snow, so all of the exercise was indoors.   I'm sure I burned lots of calories just staying warm.  We did our Five Tibetans for about half of the week, until my left wrist/thumb started to feel jammed and bruised, perhaps to doing yoga in the cold house.  So I am resting my hand, and doing the yoga I can without weight bearing on my wrists.  

We continue to read a Course in Miracles lesson each day for our meditation study, so that is still in alignment with my goals.  I have done absolutely NO EFT this week.  There just hasn't seemed to be a need.  I really haven't experienced cravings, or emotional addictions, even with eliminating the wheat, it is almost as if my body is sighing a great big "THANK YOU!"   The possibility for doing EFT is always in my mind.

I'm looking forward to another successful week.   I am excited I weigh 15 pounds fewer than early last August, and I am encouraged that I am on a great track!

1-29-2011 Still in the Right Direction, Possibly Allergies?

Stats for the week and month:

Weight: 206.6 lb

Weight Lost This Week: 0.8 lb

Weight Lost Since 1/1/11: 4.6 lb

% Fat: 45.5% (total loss since 1/1/11 =1%)

Hips: 45 in. (loss of 1 in.)

Waist: 42.5 in. (loss of 1.5 in.)

Chest: 44.8 in. (loss of 2.2 in.)

Thigh:  24.5 (no change)

Calf: 16 in (loss of 0.5in.)

Upper Arm: 12.5 in. (no change)

Current BMI: 32.5  (still in the early obese level.  At 190 lb, I merely become "overweight" (BMI of 29), a nice stepping stone goal - only 16.6 lb).

Total Measured (on one side) Inches Lost since 1/1/11: 5.3 inches

This week was great in terms of getting lots of exercise, drinking more water, keeping up with the Five Tibetans, meditation, and alternate nostril breathing.  I also was more diligent in planning and recording everything I ate and staying within the guidelines set out by My Food Diary.  This week was easier in this regard than last with, except for the news of another family member suddenly passing on to the greater dimensions.  While I send great love and healing to my uncle Gary and his son, Matt, I seemed to need to process it in my own way.  One of my elliptical workouts was very emotional for me, with tears, and grief escaping, not only for this family member, but also for my cousin, Jenni, my grandfather (who died in 2006), my Uncle Sam, my friend, Theresa, and whoever else popped into my head during the workout.  I also had the distinct feeling that what seems to be a lot of loss of life, lately, may just be the start, so this added the element of worry to my mind, but also the understanding that amazing energetic things are happening on the planet and through the people who inhabit the planet.  So, to balance what could be despair, I felt an odd sense of hope.  I let it all happen, and felt clear afterward.  I don't know how many of us really take the time to allow the expression of the grief, I know that my tendency is to try to sail above it, rather than dive into it.  Sailing above it does not process it out of the body.  It feels as though it was a big clearing for me, as for the rest of the day my heart felt lighter than it has in a long time (and I thought that I HAD already been feeling light.)  It was a good reminder to continue to be emotionally aware, and clear what needs to and can be cleared, to move forward in a heart-centered, emotionally clear, way. 

There are so many techniques for emotional healing, EFT is just one tool.  Acupuncture is another, Colorpuncture is another.  I have techniques that I've used successfully personally and recommend to my acupuncture patients as needed.  They are very powerful.  Some of my favorites have to do with Inner Child work.  Exercising, too, is very useful.  They are all topics and techniques fully worthy of exploration and training. 

On to results for the week and four weeks since I've been working on this plan.  4.6 lb in a month does not seem like a lot to me, for the apparent work I've been putting into it.  Granted, it IS in the right direction, albeit seemingly slow.  Alas, 4.6 lb average per month, lost consistently would mean 55.2 lb lost in a year, which would be wonderful, and seems healthy.  According to My Food Diary, a loss of 1.7 lb per week is the maximum that they consider to be healthy, so I'm within their range of healthy weight loss.   Also, I've lost inches and a fat percentage, all in the right direction.  

It does make me pause, though, and contemplate my diet.  I am still puffy and swollen, and I do not know if that is due to too much salt, or if I am having a sensitivity reaction to food items I've kept in my diet, possibly gluten.   Food allergies can be a contributor for many health issues I've had in my life, including the severe arthritis and chronic heel pain.  

Several years back I read and followed the False Fat Diet by Elson Haas.  I felt great!  Less stiff, less puffy, less everything.  The basic premise was that the foods that we are sensitive to are causing water retention and a "false fat" look.  Essentially the diet is an elimination diet, eliminating the highly suspicious culprit foods from your diet, and then after a period adding them back in one at a time and noting your body's reactions to the foods.   Dr. Haas recommends doing this elimination diet in phases.  I am tempted to go for it, and see if allergies might be contributing to my ongoing issues.  So far I've been pretty good at greatly reducing my dairy, saturated fat, and sugar intake, but perhaps there is more contributing.  I will contemplate it more, as I have time (I have a major exam for which to study this weekend), but may just jump right in.  I imagine by jumping into a more restricted eating plan, especially one that eliminates my reactive foods, and sticking to the increased exercise, I will likely see more dramatic results.

That, or I may switch to a gluten-free diet and see if that helps with the puffiness and achiness, without the extremes of the Elimination Diet.  For now, I must study.

Again, thanks for following and for your support and interest and Great Blessings to You All!

I will keep you posted on what I decide to do in terms of shifting my diet.

1-22-2011 A Strange Week

First of all:

Weighed in at 207.4, so, essentially lost what I'd gained last week, and back to a total loss of 3.8 lb this year.  It's in the right direction.  However, it is likely not due to any extravagant actions I took toward this goal, except, perhaps, all of the exercise in the previous couple of weeks. 

We did start with doing 21 repetitions of the Five Tibetans early in the week, so hooray!  Plus I did manage to get on the elliptical one morning for 45 minutes.  After that, I was ill for three days, very nauseous and dizzy, achey and gross (Richard was too, he often brings home illness from the school where he teaches.)  So, I took it easy, focused on healing, and not worrying much about tracking my food, or doing yoga.  

Today I feel physically better and we are hoping to go on a walk midday today.  The weather has been a challenge, lately, especially with the severe winds and cold, cold temperatures.  *Sigh*, it's winter, and not my favorite time of year, but I will keep on persevering and getting the exercise I need to to be healthy and energetic.

It was a strange week in other ways, as well.  I have a set of cousins who live in one of the towns in Brazil that was hard hit by the mudslides and flooding last week.  Click here for more on the Brazilian devastation.  They are physically all right, and now have the items they need for further survival.  It was also the anniversary of the passing of my cousin, Jennifer Lyon, which, I can only imagine, is still very sad and painful for my aunt and uncle and many others who were close to her.  I am always struck by how she chose to live her short life. I am sure that the last few years were very uncomfortable for her, but she persevered in living it fully, pretty much to the end.  More on Jenni Lyon - Click here.  Then there was the discussion I had with a close family member regarding her contemplation on going ahead with a prophylactic double mastectomy and oophorectomy.  I feel sad that she has this decision to make or not make, and I realize that it could have easily been me making that decision.  I don't think I've fully realized the implications of not having the deleterious BRCA2 gene mutation.  That's an entirely different blog. I support her fully whichever way she decides.  There is also a lot of drama with our class in Pharmacy school, and I pretty much stick to choosing to put my energy into energizing, creative things, such as getting my work done, and quilting and taking care of myself.  More on this in my pharmacy blog:  Pharmacy School Blog - click here

I guess in light of all of this, maybe my own health goals seemed a bit less significant than other people's realities.  I don't really feel guilty for focusing on myself, I feel I can still be available for others in their times of need of love and support.  Perhaps I am grateful that my life is relatively simple at this point (if full-time Pharmacy school can count as part of a "simplified" life) and it has taken over 40 years to get here.  The stresses of single parenthood have all but vanished, as have the financial worries of home-ownership and single living in a house I couldn't afford.  I own FAR less "stuff" than I did just a couple years ago, thus I am far less burdened by "things" of the past.  In fact, I realize, that the better I take care of myself, the more I have to offer others as needed.  Now is the time to take excellent care of me, so that I can be of optimal enthusiastic service.

So, with renewed vigor and hope, I continue with the goals laid out last week: increased water, 21 Tibetans (which we seem to do only on the weekdays), keep walking and elliptical-ing, etc., and keeping better track of my food intake.  Next week is my measurement week, so I'm anticipating positive results in inches lost as well.

Blessings for another awesome and healthier week!

Thanks for reading and supporting!

1-4-2011 Thoughts on Exercise and Some More EFT

I realize that I am enjoying blogging so much that it takes a fair amount of my day to report and share my thoughts.  This is all right, of course, while I have this unstructured "free" time.  However, when school starts again on Monday (the 10th), I have a plan and goal to update at least once a week when I weigh in, and, as called when there is time during the week, to write some quick thoughts or strong EFT sessions.  I hope to address some of the key components in my New Plan, such as yesterday's Thoughts on Food, and today's Thoughts on Exercise in my time before classes begin.  I think it will be helpful to save and share my daily menu and results, and any recipes that come up, so we will see how it all comes to fruition!

Turns out it's a good day to talk about how I have felt about exercise throughout my life.  

Basically it boils down to the fact that I'd far rather curl up in bed with a good book than move my body.

(Even though I'd rather curl up in bed than exercise...I deeply and completely love and accept myself...tap, tap, tap)

Ever since I became aware of the need to exercise, I have resisted it.  First of all, from as long as I can remember, if my heart got pumping too hard, I would get a very uncomfortable feeling that I cannot fully describe.  It's most a strange "airy" feeling through my jaw and chin.  So, I tend to keep my heart rate in a comfortable range for my goals, and don't overdo it, because I would also become a bit nauseous with the airy chin feeling.  Also, my knees have provided a great block to getting regular exercise.  I had cartilage removed from my right knee when I was 12 years old (it was torn and stuck), and from my left knee when I was 13.  As a result, I had developed severe arthritis by the time I was 26 years old.  The doctor told me at the time that I was too young for a knee replacement, and the best I could do is bear the pain as long as I can and then consider replacement.  I was in a good amount of pain that restricted my activities until I discovered, or opened up to acupuncture.   I originally tried acupuncture to eliminate allergies (which was very successful), and the acupuncturist "threw in" some extra needles for my knees and hooked them up to electro-stim.  The results were phenomenal!  The pain was all but gone and I could finally hike and walk and ride my bicycle again.  As long as the hills weren't too steep, or too rocky, I was pretty comfortable getting out there.  This has helped me immensely since 2000.

This past April, after a wonderful massage, I awakened the next morning with severe pain in my left knee.  Two days later it swelled.  This prompted visits to the surgeon and the rheumatologist, who x-rayed, and took MRI's of my knee.  The severe arthritis is there, and I have the questionable diagnosis of pseudogout, which is a build up of calcium deposits within the joints.  This wasn't fully confirmed, but it appears I am susceptible to pseudogout flare-ups.  The advice this time was to use my knees as long as I can stand the pain, receive acupuncture to help with the pain (this was cool to hear from the rheumatologist), and then decide when its best for me to have them replaced.  As a result, I am taking glucosamine chondroitin in the form of Joint Juice daily, and monitoring my activities (no steep/rocky/super long hikes), and my exercise has to be as non-knee-weight bearing as possible.  I love to walk in the fresh air, and am slowly getting used to the hills where I now live, however the walking takes a fast toll on my knees.  I am so very grateful for the Tony Little Gazelle that I have in the house to use for cardiovascular workouts.  It is very easy on my knees, and works the entire body, including my arms.

That was a bit of a tangent from my "I hate exercise" story.  But, perhaps, it hasn't been pleasant for me because of the pain and frustration of having knee issues for most of my life.  No wonder I just want to curl up in bed!

Anyhow, yesterday I felt amazing and great before, during and after my elliptical workout (and Five Tibetans, etc.)  I felt great and energized until the headache started later in the day, possibly related to a variety of reasons.  According to My Food Diary, I did not eat enough calories to compensate for my exercise expenditure (which was the same as the day before), also I had not had my usual small dose of caffeine, plus, my eyeballs had an enormous workout the day before with the Brain Integration Technique.   I awakened in the night pretty hungry, even though I felt like I ate and ate yesterday.  I woke up this morning and the headache was gone, but the rest of me feels wonky and those 45 minutes on the elliptical felt at least double that.  This has triggered a bunch of my negative attitude about exercise, which I will proceed to clear with EFT:

EFT:  "Even though I hate exercising..."  "Even though I feel crummy sometimes after I exercise...."  "Even though my knees hurt all the time..."  "Even though my knees and heel hurt more because I'm heavy..."  "Even though I am afraid I am going to hurt myself exercising..."Even though I resist exercise..."

Replaced with:

"I love to move my body"

"I love feeling energized"

"My body is flexible and has a fantastic metabolism"

"I am light as a feather and my knees are healthy"

"I live a balanced life between rest and activity"

"My body loves exercise and feels great!"

Five Tibetans:  15 repetitions (we're getting used to getting up really early again, perhaps tomorrow we will aim for 18 reps)

Alternate nostril breathing:  We almost forgot, but we did about 8 inhalations/exhalations

Exercise:  45 minutes on the elliptical and walking when Richard got home

Meditation:  Lesson 57, A Course in Miracles

Food: My goal is to get enough calories that don't stress my salt maximum and my saturated fat quota.  So far, I am doing pretty well, and am tapping out the negative 'tudes that would lead me straight to the big chunky piece of cheese, or leftover chocolate because of how my body feels.

"Even though I crave the big chunk of swiss cheese in the fridge... I deeply, completely love and accept myself"

Breakfast:

Blue Corn Meal Pancakes: 1 serving

1 tsp. pure maple syrup

Joint Juice

1/2 apple

1 c. Wallaby vanilla yogurt

1 c. Matcha tea

Snack:

Pumpkin Latte, sugar-free

Lunch:

Avocado Alfalfa Jalapeno Almond "Cheese" Sandwich

2 Sans Sucre sugar-free (with stevia) and fat free brownies

Zero calorie Lifewater

Snack:  

2 c. Stevia Chocolate almond drink

Dinner:

1 c. whole wheat pasta

1/4 recipe of low-salt tomato sauce with olives (posted earlier today)

8 spears of steamed asparagus

In spite of my earlier attitude "glitch" with exercise, which I feel far better about at this point after the EFT, this turns out to be a successful day in meeting my goals.  And, tomorrow, I affirm, I will have a far better attitude than I did earlier today, regarding my New Plan!

My Food Diary Summary:

An EFT Exercise: Some "Before" Pictures 1-3-11

Christmas 2010, getting ready for Jambalaya Christmas dinner

These first two picture were taken on Christmas Day, 2010, by my son, Alan, with his new camera.  I really like these pictures, as they show how happy I feel, even if I don't like my picture being taken.  They don't show the full body "me", which is okay, because there is enough fodder for EFT coming right up with pictures from last summer's grand events when I seemed to be in the camera spotlight.

Christmas 2010

June 24, 2010, Our Esoteric wedding in Montana

July 2, 2010 Our Friends and Family Wedding

July 2010, Olympic Peninsula

Even though this is the fattest I've ever been...I deeply and completely love and accept myself

Even though it's hard to get around....I deeply and completely love and accept myself

Even though people see me this way...I deeply and completely love and accept myself

Even though I regret being so heavy for our wedding...I deeply and completely love and accept myself

Even though I lost no weight before our wedding....I deeply and completely love and accept myself

Even though Richard loves me anyway...I deeply and completely love and accept myself

This last statement actually got a huge emotional response, obviously triggering my lack of feeling I deserve to be loved by someone so wonderful (or maybe by anyone) because of my appearance.  Thankfully I "tapped" it out, and now am feeling very appreciative of myself for allowing such a wonderful person into my life to love me and for me to love.  I will see if any further "unlovable" thoughts/beliefs reveal themselves.

July 2010: Small Lake on the far side of Red Fish Lake, ID:  Honeymoon

Even though I haven't seen a slim waistline in years...I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Even though I experience severe pain at times due to my weight...I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Even though my tummy bulges out over my pants...I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Even though I outweigh my sweet slim new hubby by many pounds....I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

(For the complete EFT process check out the EFT manual:  Click here for a link to the EFT Manual.)

It may appear that I am beating myself up, but I'm not, quite the contrary.  If these are the thoughts that are abundant in my psyche and aren't freed, then they will always hold me in the belief pattern and will continually subconsciously "beat me up".  By honestly bringing to the surface and acknowledging these thoughts and beliefs, and then using EFT to tap them out of my meridian and energetic system, I am clearing the way for new and improved body image thoughts to take their place.  This will better help serve my purpose of living with healthier habits.  The Universe never likes a void.  Once the non-serving thoughts are cleared it's important to replace them with loving thoughts, and the new way of seeing myself.

So, as I am tapping (after each clearing), I do a round of:

"I am beautiful"

"I am energized"

"I am very healthy"

"I love to move my body"

"I radiantly glow with love for my life"

"I love taking great care of myself."

"I am lovable no matter what"

Click here for a link to the EFT Manual.

More soon! I am off to the grocery store for another adventure.

What is a Reasonable Plan for Me?

With some free time over this holiday, I am deciding what behaviors I want to implement for the New Plan routine.  The routine needs to be reasonable and cover the essentials that I feel will lead to my greatest health in mind, body and spirit.  I always seem to be most successful following through on things like exercise and yoga if I do them first thing in the morning.  This means coordinating with Richard, my husband, who has indicated that he, too, wants to get back into a routine with yoga and meditation, in the time we share before he heads off to work at 6:45 a.m.

The things I intend to incorporate into a daily routine in my New Plan for the New Year

• 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise:  This, for me, is walking briskly around the hilly neighborhood or working out on my Gazelle elliptical machine.  I wear my heart monitor to help ensure I am spending an adequate amount of time in my target heart zone. 

• 21 repetitions of the Five Tibetans yoga from the Fountain of Youth - usually when I am starting again, I will start off with 9 or 12 repetitions (always in increments of 3) and gradually increase to the ideal of 21 reps of each Tibetan rite.  There are great descriptions and more information in the book The Fountain of Youth and on the website that offers the poster below as a free download.  There are numerous YouTube videos demonstrating the Five Tibetans as well.

I highly suggest taking it slowly at first, and/or receiving individualized instruction for these postures and movements.  I have always felt amazing, balanced and energized after a session of Tibetans, which only takes a few minutes, even with the full 21 repetitions.

• Alternate Nostril Breathing - This is an amazing tool to help balance the two sides of the brain, and the energy system that runs up and down the sides of the spine.  My mind always feels more clear, more relaxed and focused after a set of alternate nostril breathing, which, again, only takes a few minutes to complete.  Start slowly with 3-6 full breaths, and work up to 15 inhalations and exhalations.  Often I will add an affirmation with each inhale and exhale, such as "I am the Love of God" or "I am balanced, healthy, and clear" or "I am very very happy"...stuff like that. Here is a YouTube video demonstration: 

•  Meditation:  Anywhere from just a few minutes to an hour, depending on the time availability in the day.  There is a vast array of types of recorded meditations available, and of course the "simple" Buddhist meditation of clearing the mind and focusing on the breath.  This also could be a focused daily reading as with A Course in Miracles, or a daily thought from an inspired mind.

• Tracking everything I consume and all of my activities in My Food Diary at MyFoodDiary.com:  I really like this program because it does all of the adding for me, and lets me know how many calories I have left in the day, along with how I'm doing on saturated fat, protein, and carbohydrate consumption.  As I enter my exercise time, then the calories I can consume increases.  Also, at the end of each day, I get a run down of how I did, complete with smiley and frownie faces. I have created many recipes for my healthy creations and entered them into MyFoodDiary for easy tracking as well.

• EFT and other modalities for clearing the emotional bonds, cravings and detrimental automatic behaviors that arise while I am taking the best care ever of my being.

There are a bunch of further YouTube videos with this gal, along with her website for more information.  There's a general EFT manual as a free download on my website:  www.StephanieBall.info.

I love this technique, and have seen it transform people in various states of unrest, including full-blown panic attack, to complete and utter peace and calm.  I look forward to incorporating it into this journey to help heal the beliefs and behaviors so that I will attain and retain a healthy body along with a healthy mind.

I will contemplate all of this that I wish to incorporate and devise a reasonable plan and decide when to set it in motion.  I'm also still working on my list of memories regarding body image, eating patterns, and exercise aloofness, and will share soon.

Blessings to all in the meantime!