To Be {Organic} or Not to Be?

The simple (yet complicated) answer to this question is absolutely, positively, without a doubt…

YES!

When it comes to eating and buying real, whole foods, organic is the best way to go.  I have to admit that I wasn’t always on board with the idea of eating organically.  I thought that organic just meant spending more money.  Since that time, the research that I’ve done has proved otherwise and I am now a big advocate for going organic all the way. 

But I’m a practical girl and I know that many of us (including myself) are not in a position to run out and purchase organic foods to feed our families 100% of the time.  Heck, maybe not even 50% of the time.  I know I can’t.  Not only is organic food expensive much of the time, it can also be hard to find.  If you’ve been on the lookout for less expensive organics or you are just having a hard time finding organics in general, the resources listed here might be of interest to you. 

First, though, let’s talk a little bit about why we should be eating organically as opposed to conventionally. 

Organic food, particularly produce, has much more nutrition than that of conventionally grown produce.  There are no pesticides used or GMO’s** (see next section) in organic foods.  If you are able to buy organic foods from local farmers all the better.  (Note that some farmers still use pesticides when necessary.)  That way you know that the produce is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in a truck and in a back room for weeks before being set out for us to purchase in the supermarket.  Farmer’s Markets are awesome for this!  You can usually get quite a bit of food for very little money at Farmer’s Markets and it was all recently picked.   

Another reason to eat organically is to ensure that the foods you are buying aren’t genetically modified.  Here’s a great article on genetically modified organisms and why you should stay away from them.  It really just gets my blood boiling!

When choosing which produce to buy organically, a good rule of thumb is that if it’s something that you eat the skin of (apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, peaches, lettuce, etc.) buy organic.  If you don’t eat the skin (oranges, bananas, avocados, and the like) then it’s probably ok to buy it conventionally.  Most of the time, the pesticides that are sprayed gather in the skin of the fruit as it grows.  Apples are the worst for holding onto pesticide residue.  I try at all costs to buy apples organically.  It doesn’t always happen but I try.

It took a long time for me to feel like I could justify the cost of organic foods even to a small degree.  Things have always been tight around here and we just don’t have the means to buy apples or grapes at twice the price of their conventional counterparts.  That seems to be the cost difference in regular grocery stores.  And then I discovered Sunflower Market about a year ago.  AWESOME store!  It’s small but they carry far better produce than just about any other grocery store I know of.  And they carry such a wide variety, too.  And you just can’t beat the prices when they put their organic produce on sale. 

Even when they’re not on sale, it’s usually not much more than what you would pay for the conventional.  They’ve got quite a bit of bulk items as well.  Maybe not quite as many as WinCo (which is another great source for inexpensive produce, grains, spices, etc.) but I prefer Sunflower to WinCo.  Both stores carry much more than just produce.  (Whole Foods is another option but I have not been all that impressed with their prices or their produce in general.)  

Keep in mind, not all of the produce I buy is organic. 

One thing that we ALWAYS buy organically is eggs (Costco is the cheapest).  And while it’s not exactly ‘organic’, we try to buy hormone free milk.  Sometimes our budget doesn’t allow for it and we are forced to buy whatever milk is on sale and you know what?  That’s ok.  We’re feeding our kids and ourselves the best we are able.  I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to buy raw milk, however, it is extremely hard to find and when you do find it, it costs an arm and a leg.

One place that might be an option for you if you’re building your supply of whole foods (organic if possible, but not necessary) is Azure Standard.  They have drop points all over the country I believe and they come to each one once a month.  They’ve got FANTASTIC prices on grains, flours, supplements and everything between.  You can go to their website and request a free catalog (I think you have to create an account – also free).  You’ll love the prices and the selection.  They’ve got EVERYTHING!  And if I remember right, shipping is free if you order $50 or more.  Don’t quote me on that one.  But really, it’s very easy to do!

And now for a slight change in subject… MEATS!

Since starting on our clean food/whole food/real food journey, we’ve eaten less and less meat.  I used to be completely at a loss when it came to preparing a meal without meat.  My dinners growing up centered around meat whether it be chicken, a roast, ground beef, steak, turkey, etc.  Now we try to make some kind of vegetable the main course while everything else takes a side dish spot.  Sometimes it includes meat and sometimes not. 

After watching Food, Inc. Anthony and I have a hard time sometimes with the meat that is already in our freezer.  To see the way that the animals were treated before slaughter and the way they bring them up and feed them is all wrong.  It’s sickening, actually. 

Don’t get me wrong, we still eat meat and are far from vegetarian but we are much choosier about how often we eat it and how much of it we eat. 

Speaking of meat.  Ever seen Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution?  I love that show!  He’s all about getting school cafeterias and fast food chains to change their menus to include real, healthy meals with whole foods.  On the show last season he talked about ‘Pink Slime’ in one episode.  It is absolutely stomach turning and to think that the FDA has approved this.  It’s revolting, really!  Here’s the clip…

My aunt told me just yesterday that after watching this clip she went straight to her freezer and threw out all of her ground beef.  She just couldn’t stomach it. 

So, if after watching this clip and possibly seeing Food, Inc. (you can find it on Netflix), you are ready for organic meats, they are out there.  They can be pretty pricey and I have to admit that I’m not that rich yet but when I am, you can bet that I’ll be buying my meat from HERE!  Someday I’ll be rich enough… I’m determined!

Here are some great clean food recipe sites that I love:

The Gracious Pantry

The Naked Kitchen

Natural Moms Recipes

Whole Foods Recipes

Word of Wisdom Living

Perry’s Plate

 

 

It’s Food Day! Let’s celebrate!

Some of you may know that around March of this year, my family and I changed our way of eating pretty drastically.  Anthony and I decided (or came to the conclusion?) that we were no longer spring chickens.  Our metabolisms had slowed down, we weren’t nearly as active as we were in our youth, our eating habits were poor, at best, and we just plain didn’t feel good!  Plus, we had both packed on a few pounds. 

Anthony was tipping the scale at around 206 pounds and I… well, I just don’t really want to tell you what I weighed. 

Alright!  I guess it wouldn’t be fair for me to reveal Anthony’s heaviest weight and not divulge mine as well. 

My heaviest weight was about 132 (except when I’m pregnant, of course). 

I know what some of you must be thinking – 132 pounds isn’t exactly heavy.  I realize that but 132 isn’t where I personally am comfortable, it’s not my ‘normal’.  (By the way, Anthony’s ‘normal’ is around 180.)  

We decided at that point that our habits had to change.  We needed to eat better and start exercising regularly. 

Enter the world of Clean Eating and P90X! 

I started researching food and which foods were the best, how often we should be eating and what all those foreign ingredients are that are listed on some of my very favorite foods.  Guess what I found out… nothing new.  Nothing that should have surprised me, but it did.  How in the world had I gone all these years without realizing that a HUGE portion of what I was putting into my body was not only not good for me and my family but that it could possibly be slowly killing us?  I felt like I had been poisoning my kids! 

In truth, I believe that I kind of was poisoning them.  Not intentionally but what I learned made me sad, angry and ready to change.  I didn’t want to feed my kids, GMO’s and processed junk anymore. 

We started eating clean!  If you’re wondering what that is, it basically means eating only real, whole foods.  No processed foods, no refined sugars, no white flour, lots and lots of fruits and vegetables, lots and lots of water.  Basically, if God made it, you should eat it.  If man made it, stay away!  Do you know how hard that is?  We live in a world where eating is all about convenience.  Everything is made these days with convenience in mind.  Lunch and dinner to go, all prepackaged with all kinds of preservatives and who knows what else. 

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’ve posted lots of treats and goodies… with white flour, sugar and sometimes even processed foods.  You may be thinking, um hello Brooke, do you really eat clean at all?

The answer is yes.  We try to follow the 80/20 rule (80% whole, clean foods and 20% whatever else we feel like).  However, I do have a confession to make.  Oh how I hate confessions…  We finished our first round of P90X in June.  At that point, the exercising slowed down quite a bit because with the sun rising earlier and setting later, the kids were up and at ‘em earlier and went to bed much later.  They weren’t having the whole 'go-to-bed-while-the-sun’s-still-shinin’ thing.  We had a hard time fitting the exercise in.  We got it in a time or two here and there but not enough.  Definitely not enough.  But our eating habits were GREAT throughout the whole summer.  How could they not be with all the fresh produce?  Anthony was still able to run a few times a week also so he was able to stay on top of things. 

And then came September… and then October…  I don’t know what it is about cooler weather but it just makes me want to eat more.  My will to exercise was all but gone because I was no longer in the habit.  It was hard for me.  I struggled.  My 80/20 started to become more of a 70/30 and then a 60/40.  Yikes!  And yes, my weight has started to creep back up.  I got down to 119 (just 5-9 pounds off of my ‘normal’) and sadly, I’m now back up to about 124.  It’s a sad story!  On a happier note, Anthony has maintained his running and even snuck in a few P90X dvd’s and is now a mere 167 pounds.  He’s smaller than I’ve ever known him to be! 

But I’m ready to start fresh… again!  No more of this nonsense with yuckiness (spellcheck says yuckiness is not a word… I disagree ;))

I was so happy to learn that today is Food Day!  I didn’t even know there was such a thing but apparently, there is.  The goal is to get people eating real foods.  To get away from the processed junk out there. 

I did a Clean Eating Challenge on my old blog several months ago and I think it was a great way to learn about clean eating, how to implement it and stay on track.  I need the Clean Eating Challenge for ME!  Would anyone like to join me?  If so, I’ll post all 8 steps here on THIS blog one week at a time.  It’s a process rather than an all-out BAM!  Know what I mean, Vern?  Please let me know if you are interested. 

HAPPY FOOD DAY!!

P.S.  I will still post recipes… clean and not-so-clean.  After all, I still get to cheat 20% of the time, right?

 

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 8 -- Keep it up!

And now we're all eating well, with only a set amount of cheating, drinking lots and lots of water, exercising regularly and feeling great, right?  Do you feel any different?  Does your body know when you've cheated? 
I hope you all answered yes. 

Well, this week (and from now on) we're just going to keep up with what we've been doing.  Next Monday we'll find a winner for the recipe book. 

It will get easier, I promise. 

After the winner is chosen, I will probably be switching to my Wordpress blog exclusively.  So, please join me over there. 

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 7 -- Exercise

Now that you are eating clean while still eating your favorite junk food (in moderation, right?), it's time to start exercising. 

Maybe you already are and that's great! 

I would love to say that I know exactly what you should be doing for exercise but indeed, I do not!  I can tell you what I recommend, however.  Cardio at least 3 times per week and strength training 3 times per week.  They can be done together or on completely separate days.  But I can almost guarantee that if you are only doing one or the other, you won't get the results you want. 

As frustrating as that is, it's the truth.  With cardio only, you might see some weight loss (if that's what you're going for) but your shape will not change.  With strength training only, you might feel stronger but you may never see any weight loss.  And continuing to eat well will only aid in your results.  I promise.  Less cheating means for better results. 

So, get to it!  Simple enough, no?  And if you have any questions or anything about clean eating (or anything else) feel free to ask.  I can't promise to know the answer for sure but I promise to try and find out.

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 6 -- Implement "The Cheat"

Well, how was your week?  Was it super hard not to cheat at all (other than maybe a food storage item here and there)? 

This week you get to cheat!  Woohoo for cheats! 

Alright, there are a few ways you can do this.  There's the 'cheat meal', the 'cheat day', and the 80/20 rule.  Let me explain...

Cheat Meal:  This is where you eat clean all the time except one meal per week.  A predesignated meal (maybe a Saturday lunch or something) that you decide you will eat whatever cheat meal you feel is necessary for you to get your 'fix' of junk food for the week.  Maybe you need a combo meal from McDonalds or something.  Or maybe your favorite pizza joint is calling your name.  Or maybe one of your snacks is going to be a decadant dessert of some sort.  Whatever floats your boat.  

The designated day could change depending on your weekly plans.  Maybe you have a party planned on Tuesday.  Make Tuesday your Cheat Meal day. 

Cheat Day:  This is a whole day during the week designated to eating whatever you want and not worrying about it.  Be careful with this one though.  If you are afraid that designating a whole day will throw your chi off with the clean eating, don't do it!  Stick with the Cheat Meal or the.....

80/20 Rule:  This is where you make sure that you are eating clean at least 80 percent of the time.  The other 20 percent is whatever you want.... and sometimes 'whatever you want' turns out to be clean anyway.   

This is the 'cheat' that works for me the best because, although I started out trying the Cheat Meal plan, my life seems so out of control at times.  We frequently have friends over or are invited to a get together with family or friends and I know that the food options won't always be clean.  Anthony and I both try to eat mostly clean in those situations by filling up on fruits, vegetables, water, and whatever other clean options are available before diving into the nasties.  And often times, that is enough to keep us satisfied and we don't need the yucky stuff.  This coming from the girl who has a hard time saying no to food in general, let alone the sweets and processed crap. 

One thing that we hardly ever give in to these days is soda.  That's one thing that we have given up almost entirely whether we're cheating or not.  The only soda we've consumed at all since beginning our journey several months ago was in the form of a root beer float... twice. 

I try to keep it more on the 90/10 side.  Just please keep it at least 80/20 if this is the cheat plan you choose.  Don't go any less 80% clean. 

And always remember to eat only until satisfied no matter what you are eating.  The 5-6 meals rule also applies. 

Another important thing to TRY and do is make your cheats homemade.  If you can, try not to eat the processed foods.... ever!  It really is ok to have treats once in a while but if you make your own chocolate chip cookies rather than buying Chips Ahoy, you really are doing yourself a favor.  At least you know what went into it and you can name all the ingredients.  Every once in a while a processed treat is necessary, I get that.  Just try to keep it in check. 

Well, I hope this week goes well for you.  Keep me posted on your progress. 

In case you missed the past Clean Eating Challenge posts, click on the "Clean Eating Challenge" under the labels on the right. 

And if you wrote down or printed out the ranch dressing recipe, I hope you caught it after the correction.  Nothing major but there was a slight error. 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Update:  I just corrected the amount of agave in this recipe.  It originally said "1 - 2 T." but it should be 1 - 2 tsp.  Sorry about that. 

This is yet another recipe that I expected not to fully love considering that I am admittedly addicted to anything sugary, processed, or full of MSG.  Or at least I was.  Now I just do my best to stay away from it... mostly, so as not to tempt myself too much with it.  Because although my tastebuds say they need it, my body does not love it once consumed. 

Here's the mix part of this recipe (store in an airtight container):
2/3 c. dried parsley flakes
3 1/2 T. dried dill weed
5 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 c. onion powder
1/4 c. sea salt

When you're ready to make your dressing:

Place 5 tsp. of dressing mix into small bowl and add the following

1 c. Vegenaise* (found in health food stores in the refrigerated section -- you can use mayonaisse in a pinch but try to find one made with olive oil or other heart healthy oil)

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 - 2 tsp. agave nectar (remember to buy raw)

1/2 - 1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar

Mix well with a whisk.  Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.  So yummy!  And it's thick like my favorite brands too. 

 Enjoy!

Recipe source:  The Diet Rebel's Cookbook

Taco Seasoning

When I first made this taco seasoning, I have to admit, I was expecting something sort of bland.  The packets you buy in the store are full of MSG which really helps enhance the flavor of certain foods.  Nevermind that it's absolutely horrible for our bodies. 

So, when I used it in my Taco Soup recipe, I was expecting to tell my family that it's just something we'll have to get used to... the bland taste. 

What I wasn't expecting was to actually like it MORE than the convenient little packets I have been using for years!  No joke, even my kids and Anthony said it was better.  So happy about that! 

So, here's the recipe... I'm positive you're going to LOVE it!

2/3 c. onion powder (or onion granules)
1 1/4 c. chili pepper powder
1 3/4 T. garlic powder
2/3 c. ground cumin
3 1/2 T. paprika
3 1/2 T. dried oregano
2 T. Sucanat (dehydrated cane juice)

Mix it all up and store in an airtight container. 

So easy, right?  And definitely yummy.  After a tiny bit of research (because I have never measured a packet of taco seasoning) I learned that 4 T. (1/4 cup) is the equivalent of one packet.  Now, go make yourself some tacos or something.

Recipe Source:  The Diet Rebel's Cookbook

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 5 -- Lunches and Dinners

I almost forgot to post this.  With Father's Day and the fact that my week/weekend kind went haywire on me, I just about spaced it.  But no worries!  I know you're thanking your lucky stars about now because whatever would you do without your next Clean Eating Challenge post? 

Ok, so I'm sure you'd all get along just fine.  Just let me pretend that I'm needed.  ;)

This week we're going to clean up the remainder of your meals.  THIS IS A NO CHEATING WEEK!  Let me repeat... there is to be NO CHEATING this week.  Got it?  Good!

Here's the part where I contradict myself...
If you're one of those 'crazy Mormons' like myself, and have a crazy, hair-brained idea such as food storage (or maybe you're not a Mormon but still have a crazy notion to have such a storage), you may have not-so-clean items in your storage that you're not willing to part with.  I hear ya!  That was money well spent to feed your family and I'm not telling you to get rid of it.  Some clean foodies (that's what we're calling them for the moment) will tell you to rid your home of all unclean foods.  

Ummm, sorry but I'm too cheap to throw it away and I am NOT willing to GIVE it all away either.  So, in our food storage, I had dirty items such as cream of ... (fill in the blank) soups, tomato soup, ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, taco seasoning packets, WHITE rice, WHITE pasta, etc.  That's a lot of food to get rid of.  Not that all canned foods are dirty, they're not.  Canned beans (watch for sugars though), tomato paste/sauce, fruit in its own juices, etc. are all great canned items.

So what are you supposed to do?  Well, at our house, I try to make all of our meals clean; breakfast, lunch and snacks.  Dinner is clean too, MOST nights.  In order to still use up what's down in our food storage, I try to make completely clean dinners five nights a week.  The other two nights, we make an old 'dirty' favorite with items from our food storage.  Just remember not to overindulge.  Eat just 'til satisfied, not full.  

Now here's the part that may scare you.  It scared me at first too because, how in the world would I make dinner without canned, boxed, or bottled dirtiness?  Are you ready for it?  Here it is:  ONCE IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE!  DON'T BUY IT AGAIN!  It is possible to make clean versions of those same foods.  Surprised?  I was. 

And guess what, it's not that hard.  I've had so much fun making homemade ranch dressing and homemade taco seasoning.  We don't even miss the MSG.  That stuff is in a lot of processed foods.  It's not good for you, stay away from it.  

Oh, but as I was saying, the ranch and taco seasoning are BETTER than the packaged stuff.  Hard to believe, eh?  I didn't think it was possible but it's true.  Maybe we just enjoy the flavors because we're excited to not be eating crap anymore.  At any rate, it's good stuff.  Both of those recipes come from The Diet Rebel's Cookbook.  I'm beginning to think that it's my very favorite of the three that I got for Mother's Day.  

Tell you what, I'll even give you one of the recipes.  Just vote in the poll telling which recipe you'd like and the one with the most votes will be posted in the next couple of days. 

Simple enough, right?  Clean food is yummy and there's a lot to choose from.  Everything from fruits/vegetables, lean cuts of meat, eggs, whole grains, to dairy products and more.

If you know of a recipe that your family loves, just tweaking a few of the ingredients could make it a clean meal.  Or you could ask my best friend Google for some insight.  Just type in something like "clean eating recipes" or even "healthy recipes".... something to that effect. 

A couple of sites I've been to are:
The Gracious Pantry
Clean Eating Mama

There are soooo many more though.  Just do some research.  You'll find your favorites. 

Next week, we'll talk about how and when to eat crap.  But remember, this week is a NO CHEATING week (except a dinner or two... only a little dirtiness, please! i.e. a can of cream soup)

Keep it clean, people!

In case you missed it:  (I'm too lazy to put all the links here right now -- I know, lame -- but if you go to my Labels on the sidebar and click 'Clean Eating Challenge'... all the past weeks challenges are there.)

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 4 -- The Right Amount

I've got to admit that this week was a terrible one for me as far as my eating goes.  Admitting that is not fun especially considering that I'm trying to help YOU eat better.  All I can say is that I'm really doing this more for myself than anyone else.  It's hard to eat clean when there are so many great tasting and convenient foods out there.  On the other hand, what is the goal here?  Mine is better overall health and knowing that I'm not putting foreign chemicals and other man made yuckies into my own body and the bodies of my precious family.  There's enough research out there to convince me that it does absolutely no good to eat that crap.  It only leads to more long-term diseases and other crap. 

That said, my whole family has been and actually still is sick.  We've had terrible colds, congestion, pink eye and who knows what else.  My weekly trip to the grocery store never had a chance so we've been feasting on whatever was already in the house and convenient due to lack of energy.  It just doesn't seem fair to be sick at the beginning of summer.  Colds in the summer?  It's preposterous!    

But this is a new week which means I get to try again and do everything I can to get back on track.  The grocery store is calling my name and I can't wait to get myself some yummy food with actual nutritional value.  I think it will help us all recover quicker also.  

So this week, we're going to focus on the amount of food you are taking in.  If you've read my blog long, you know that I've already said that when you're eating clean, you don't need to count calories.  And now here I am telling you to watch the amount of food you eat.  

Just know that from here on out, I may sound like a walking contradiction due to the fact that eating clean really is a personal thing and it all depends on what your goals are and how far you want to run with it.  

We know that calorie intake really plays a huge factor in our weight.  Eating clean really is more about better health and eating whole foods.  However, often times, with that comes weight loss.  But that really depends on whether you have weight to lose and it is still possible to gain weight while eating clean if you're not careful.  

Maybe you're thinking, why the heck would you say that I don't need to count calories then?  Well, here's the deal:

When we eat only 3 or 4 meals a day (which many people do), we are so hungry by the time that we eat that we over indulge.  So, what you need to do is eat 5 or 6 times per day.  Sound like too much?  It's not.  This tells your metabolism to speed up because it's going to be getting more fuel within the next few hours.  Your body now knows that it doesn't need to hold on to the food from the last meal because it will be fed again shortly.  

Does that make any sense?  I hope so.  

Well, now that you are eating breakfast (you are eating breakfast, right?), and making sure it's a good one (you're not eating Trix or something equally nasty are you?) we just need to make sure you eat a snack between breakfast and lunch.  Here's your new eating plan, unless of course you're doing this already.  In that case it's not new...

• Breakfast - shortly after waking up
• snack
• Lunch
• snack
• Dinner 
• Snack (if hungry and not too soon before bed)

Sound good?  Alright, let's chat.  Your meals, including your snacks, should be 2-3 hours apart.  Make sure you are drinking your water between meals and with your meals.  At the 2-3 hour mark you should be hungry again.  Not starving, just hungry.  Make sure you eat until satisfied, not full.  If you get full, you've eaten too much. 

This may take a few days to get used to the feeling of being just satisfied but be patient.  You'll start to recognize when you've eaten too much or not enough. 

In general, your breakfasts, lunches and dinners should be around 300-400 calories.  Your snacks should be around 200 calories.  But like I said, everyone is different and you don't have to count.  That's just a general idea if you want to count calories just to see how much you are eating each day.  To be honest, I started out not counting the calories but decided to count for a few days just for informational purposes. 

I figured out that I was eating around 1800 calories per day which made sense for me.  That was the perfect amount for me to maintain my weight at that time.  I also incorporated some pretty vigorous (vigorous to me anyway) exercise too which helped me to actually lose a few pounds at the 1800 calories a day.  I would recommend not dipping below 1500 calories even if you are trying to lose weight but that's just me.  You have to do what's right for you. 

Make sure you're not eating too soon before bed also.  I recommend eating your last meal at least 2 hours before going to bed. 

Don't be freaked out that we're not changing the content of the meals we haven't discussed yet.  We've already discussed breakfast and snacks.... keep 'em clean!  Now just make sure you're eating enough for what your goals are and only eating until satisfied.  I think we, as Americans, think that a portion is as big as Rhode Island.  Think smaller, people! 


In case you missed it...

Introduction
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 3 update

Update to Step 3 of Clean Eating Challenge

I decided to do this as a separate post because I know some of you taking part in the Clean Eating Challenge have already read Step 3 and I want to make sure you see this one too. 

After proof-reading my last post (Step 3), I realize that I wasn't very specific at all about the best way to go about eliminating junk food snacks. 

Are you ready for this?  GET RID OF IT!  That's right, either throw it away, give it away, or make your kids eat it all right now so you won't have the chance.  If you're anything like me you'll eat it if it's around no matter how hard you try not to.  It calls your name and you can't resist.  It's evil!   

Also, stock up on your fruits and vegetables for the week.  And once you are home with all your groceries, prepare them to be eaten.  It may seem like a lot of work but it's so much easier to grab a couple celery sticks and/or carrot sticks if they're already cut and ready to eat.  If I have to grab a knife or a peeler every time I want a vegetable, I'm much more likely to grab something out of the cupboard that's more convenient.  Granola bar, anyone?  So, whatever day you do your shopping, plan to come home and wash all your produce (although there is some produce that shouldn't be washed until you are ready to eat it because it spoils quicker) and cut it up so it's ready for the whole week. 

You might be surprised.  Your kids might even grab something healthy if it's readily available. 

The things I like to have cut up and ready include celery, carrots, green/red peppers (we like it on our sandwiches), prewashed spinach (we use in place of lettuce on our sandwiches, also in smoothies), sliced cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. 

And on that note, let me just say that iceberg lettuce, as wonderful as you may think it is, has little to no nutritional value.  Choose dark leafy green vegetables instead.  That is why we use the spinach instead of lettuce on our sandwiches.  If you like the crunch that lettuce adds to your sandwiches, use sliced cucumbers along with the spinach and even green peppers.  HOLY LOADED SANDWICH!!  Trust me, it's good!

Instead of iceberg lettuce salads, use romaine, butter leaf, red leaf or green leaf lettuces.  They have nutritional value!

Anyway, sorry for the poor explanation in the last post.  Hope this helps with a few things.

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 3 -- Replace Your Snacks

Are you still eating your breakfast every morning?  And what about water, are you still drinking more than you ever thought you could? 

This week we're going to focus on your snacks.  I don't know what you usually eat for snacks... potato chips, candy bars, cookies, crackers, ice cream, microwave popcorn, candy, etc.  That's just a very short list of the 'foods' that used to be part of my days as snacks. 

What ever happened to good ol' fruits and veggies?  Do people even know what they are anymore?  And no, fruit snacks don't count as fruit, and corn chips don't count as veggies.  So sorry! 

So for this week, along with drinking plenty of water and eating a good, healthy breakfast, you now need to replace your snacks with fruits and vegetables.  Don't worry about your lunch and dinner at this point.  Eat them, obviously but don't fret about the contents yet.  We'll be getting to that soon... VERY soon.  For now just focus on your snacks and eat what you normally would for lunches and dinners.  

This week's step is easier said than done.  It may not sound hard but if you have a sweet tooth like me, or a junk-food-in-general tooth (also like me), this week could prove to be pretty challenging.  

Ideally, you will consume more vegetables than fruits but replacing your junk food snacks with either one is better than not changing them at all.  So, if you would normally eat a salty snack, replace it with a vegetable.  If you would normally eat a sweet snack, grab a fruit.  

Here's the trick, try and remember to pair these new snacks with a protein.  Don't overindulge here.  A snack is a snack, after all.  Not a full course meal.  

I happen to like celery as a carb with peanut butter as my protein, and healthy source of fat as well (a brand that contains ONLY peanuts--possibly salt... ~look at the ingredients~ we like Adam's brand).  Another great pairing is an apple with peanut butter. 

You could also use string cheese, a small handful of almonds (or other nuts), plain yogurt (sweetened with honey if needed), or cottage cheese as a protein.  Some will argue that string cheese is not clean.  Like I've said before, there are some instances in which you have to be the judge about whether something is clean or not.  And there are tons of other options as well. 

There are many combinations you could use here.  Or even a green smoothie is a great choice.  I'm telling you, they are good and soooo filling!  Throw in some flax seed or chia seeds for a healthy source of fat and some yogurt for protein.  That is truly the only way I get enough vegetable servings in a day.  Not all at once of course but helps me get there. 

The 'recipe' I've linked you to makes a large batch.  Hopefully you have people willing to help you out with that amount or you can just scale it down quite a bit for a personal serving.  I'm always making it for my whole family of seven.  Well, only six drink it but soon it will be seven.  B just takes sips of mine at this point. 

I don't really care what fruits or vegetables you eat.  Just eat them.  I hope this week is a great one for you.  I'm sure you're doing great.  Keep it up! 

In case you missed it, here's Week One and Week Two.
And here's the Intro.

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 2 -- Eat Breakfast (and make it a good one)

First of all, I have to ask how your week was last week.  Did you do well with your water intake?  I hope so...  And DON'T stop!  Keep it up for this week too.  Each week we'll focus on one more thing to add.

For this week, I really want to focus on the most important meal of the day.  You've all heard that breakfast is the most important all your life, right?  But why?  Did you ever wonder why it's considered the most important? 

Well, let me tell you what I know. 

Breakfast is so important not only for your health but also for your metabolism and your brain.  We all know that kids who eat breakfast do better in school than those who don't as a whole. 

When we eat breakfast, we are breaking a long fast that our bodies have been enduring all night.  It's great for our bodies to take that break for the night, however, if you extend the fast beyond the hours of sleep, your body goes into starvation mode.  For some people, this sounds appealing.  They think that if their body starves it will chew the fat right off of them.  The fact is, when your body goes into starvation mode, it starts chewing on muscle tissue and other areas that you don't want it to.  Then, when you finally give your body some substance at lunchtime or whenever you decide to nourish your body for the first time each day, it holds onto whatever it can from that meal fearing that you will starve it again. 

Simple fact:  Breakfast boosts your metabolism!  Eat it!!

So, what do you eat for breakfast usually?  Nothing?  Cold cereal?  Oatmeal?  Eggs? 

I personally have never had a problem eating breakfast.  The only problem I've ever had is the content of my breakfast.  Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, pancakes with way too much sugary syrup, or a granola bar (the candy bar-ish type), etc.

These days, my breakfasts are much healthier than they've ever been.  I usually have some oatmeal (I really like the steel-cut oats) with a whole banana cut into it and some skim milk to bring it to the consistency I prefer.  That gives me my carb, and a fruit.  To add a protein I usually eat boiled eggs... 1 whole, 1 white only.  

When eating clean, always try to pair a carb with a protein.  A carb could even be a fruit or veggie.  

If you think it sounds bland to eat my oats with nothing on it, you're right.  It was hard for me at first to eat it with only a banana and milk in it.  I've grown to love the flavor of the oats on their own and with a whole banana cut up in it, I pretty much get a sweet flavor with every bite.  Sounds strange but I don't even miss the sugar anymore.  But if that's too bland for you to start with (or forever), you can certainly use a clean sweetener to help you out with the flavor.  Just try to use less of it than you normally might.  

Some options would be honey, agave nectar (try to buy 'raw'), Sucanat (aka dehydrated cane juice),  or pure maple syrup (the real stuff).  You could also use Stevia (use VERY little as this is potent stuff... too much tastes bitter) but I don't like it.  They sell 'Stevia' products by the sugars in the grocery stores but that stuff is not clean.  Highly processed!  The real stuff is in the health food stores.  But there will be more on that later in a future post for our Clean Eating Challenge.  

Of course, you don't have to eat oatmeal for breakfast.  There are tons of other clean options as well.  This is just what I prefer in the mornings.  Anthony loves to eat his whole wheat bagels with boiled eggs and an orange.  

Other great options include Ezekiel cereals, Kashi cereals (look at sugar content though... I like to keep it under 8 grams per serving.  Yes, it's clean sugar but still sugar), whole wheat (or whole grain) toast, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), turkey bacon (which is a protein), fruits, etc.

There are so many options, it's not even funny.  Angie, with your gluten intolerance, I'm not sure what you usually eat.  I'm an avid fan of breads and things with wheat so asking me to go gluten-free would be like asking me to go vegetarian cold turkey (no pun intended ;).  I'm so dependent on carbs and meats to create my meals at this point that I would be lost if I tried to change it up too much.  I would love your insight, however.  The plan is to eventually migrate more into those areas because I know it would improve my family's health but at this point, I'm just working on whole foods.  

And that's really it, everyone.  Just try to find products that God gave us to incorporate for breakfast.  If the ingredient list says something like chlorosnapwnvoams (not real, just made up)... it's probably a man-made chemical or something.  A preservative, a nasty, yucky thing that our bodies don't know what to do with.  If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't be eating it.

Don't worry about anything else at this point.  Just keep drinking lots and lots of water and make sure you're eating a good breakfast.  Baby steps, right?  This is not too hard yet is it?  WE CAN DO THIS!!  

In case you missed it, here's Step One
and here's the Intro

Clean Eating Challenge: Step 1 -- Replace your beverages!

Drink water!! 

Simple enough for this week?  I think so, and yet, it was so hard for people like Anthony and me.  Anthony was absolutely dependent on Coca-Cola while I was a huge fan of milk with everything!  Milk and I were great friends.  But when I discovered clean eating, I realized that I needed to up my water intake and decrease the amount of calories I was drinking. 

So, week number one, make sure you are drinking your water!  How much should you be drinking?  The most common answer we hear to that question is 8-10 glasses per day, right?  Well, that's a great guideline but that might be way more than you actually need.  Or it could be much less than you need.  Another way to guesstimate the amount of water you need is to take your weight in pounds, divide it in half and that number is the amount of ounces in water you need to drink on a daily basis.  Make sense? 

If you weigh 150 lbs, half of that is 75.  You should be drinking 75 ounces of water. 

Basically, what you need to do is drink more water than you ever thought you could handle.  Yes, you'll be in the bathroom often.  But guess what that does... it gets rid of excess water weight you may be carrying! 

Does it seem odd to you that in order to get rid of water weight you actually need to drink MORE water?  Me too. 

But from what I gather, when you are carrying excess water, it's because your body isn't getting enough to begin with so it retains all it can for fear that you won't give it more.  Layman's terms.  I'm not a very technical person so that's as good as it gets.  Just a simple gal. 

So, here's the plan:

• Drink a glass of water when you first wake up in the morning.
• Drink a glass before/during every meal.  It will help you feel fuller and you might eat less.   
• Drink water any time you think you are hungry.  Often times we mistake thirst for hunger.  If you're still hungry after a few minutes, grab a snack.
• Pee often -- trust me, you will have no problem with this if you are drinking like you are supposed to.
• Make sure you drink water inbetween all meals as well. 
• If you feel you must have something to drink other than water during a meal or snack, cut it back to one drink per day.  

DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!!

I don't really care HOW you drink your water, just drink it.  I happen to like mine with ice and a straw.  Yes, it really does taste better with a straw.  Yep, I'm a kid sometimes.  But if you like it room temperature, drink it room temperature.  If you like it with lemon, put some lemon in it.  If you like it with Crystal Light.... you're out of luck!  Those 'packet' things are all OUT!  No powdery substances allowed!  Lemons, limes, ice, celery (weird?), carrots (weirder?), etc... all allowed.  GO FOR IT!  

And that's it!  Not too bad for week one, right?  You can do this.  Don't worry about changing anything else for now. 

And if you're already drinking plenty of water, then you are just one step ahead of the game.  Good for you!  

Let me know if you lose any water weight by the end of this week.  I did when I replaced my beverages.  

Have a happy day (in the bathroom! ;)

Don't forget to comment on my INTRO to Clean Eating post to enter the giveaway. 

What is Clean Eating? - INTRODUCTION

So sorry!  My Saturday kind of got away from me.  And this morning was church, then lunch, then family chats, and now we're watching a movie.  Which means I can finally tell you what clean eating is! 

But before I do, I am just curious..... who's doing the challenge with me?  LeShel, you still in?  It's not scary. 

Tell you what, if you're planning to take the Clean Eating Challenge, leave a comment and at the end I want to do a give-away.  But only if you really are going to try the challenge.  Or, if you want to leave a comment anyway, how the heck am I going to know you're not taking the challenge?  I mean, really, I can't check up on you.  ;)

This is how the challenge will work:

Each Monday I will present a new step.  Baby steps are what it's all about.  Going cold turkey could be disastrous to your progress.  It's true!  I don't know what it is about baby steps.  I just know that they work.  So, check every Monday morning for the new step of the week.  And what is it about Mondays?  Every goal or diet or plan or whatnot always starts on Monday.  I may not understand it but it seems to be the way to go so we're going with it.  

Now time for the disclaimer:

Please remember that I am not a physician, physicians assistant, nurse, nutritionist, dietician, fitness expert or anything of the sort.  I don't know what your particular diet needs are.  I am only presenting this challenge because it is what has worked for my family and has really prepared us for a life of better health and increased energy.  That is not to say that we will never encounter illnesses or physical ailments.  I just know that we feel better, look better, and have way more energy than we did even just six short months ago.  That said, we never realized how poor our diet was until discovering how to eat real, whole foods and eliminate highly processed foods and refined sugars.  It was then that our diets took a major turn for the better and we can definitely tell when we've eaten something yucky.  But more on that later...

Also, I am NOT an expert.  I am a beginner and am definitely learning more about eating clean every day.  My diet is FAR from perfect, just a work in progress.  This challenge is a way for me to keep myself accountable. 

Now on to the question you're all dying to know the answer to.  I know you are!  Well, maybe not but we're going to venture there anyway.  What is clean eating?  Here's the part where you are anticipating a clear, educated, extremely thought-out, detailed answer.  And here's the part where I highly disappoint you by telling you that I can't answer that for you.  It's a loaded question with more answers than I care to count.  Why?  Because it's different for every person.  

Remember the three cookbooks I got for Mother's Day?  They are all clean eating cookbooks but they all contradict each other.  Sounds funny, I know.  I was as surprised as you are.  Or maybe you're not surprised at all but I sure was. 

Here's an example of the contradictions.  Let's use MILK!  (The opinions and conclusions I've drawn from each of the following are my own.  These are only my interpretations.)

The Diet Rebel's Cookbook:  The authors of this book tend to believe that milk and all milk products should be in whole, raw form.  Raw, meaning unpasteurized and not homogenized, milk straight from the source.  That is not easy to find, mind you.  I know that there's a store here in Utah called Real Foods Market that is the only licensed market here to carry raw milk.  I personally have never been there since there isn't one in my area but I am hoping they open one up closer to me.  I'm intrigued by this idea of raw milk.  Are you?  Here's a blog post I found about the benefits of raw milk. 

These authors also believe that cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cheese, cream, butter etc. should be in it's whole, raw form.  No skim, no lowfat, just whole and raw. 

And a note on meats-- They like the lean cuts of beef, chicken, fish, turkey, pork, etc.  All in moderation. 

The Eat Clean Diet for Families and Kids:  Tosca Reno, the author, tends to believe that dairy products should be lowfat and/or skim.  Reduced fat cheeses (very minimal), skim milk, lowfat cottage cheese and yogurt, etc.  This is not necessarily fact but I've gathered that she's not a fan of cream cheeses, butter, or sour cream.  Too much fat maybe?  I don't know for sure. 

Meats-- Same as the book listed above but she also really likes Bison.  It's leaner than beef.  Ever tried it?  I had a bison burger recently and didn't even know until Anthony told me.  I thought it was beef with a slightly different texture than normal. 

Clean Food:  Terry Walters is the author of this one and she is VEGAN!  I was really looking forward to this book for this reason.  My family looooves meat.  In fact, I don't really know how to make a dinner without it.  I'm a steak and potatoes gal!  Every meal I know how to make has meat as a main staple whether it's ground beef, chicken, turkey, or whatever else.  Meat is a staple at our house.  However, I've wanted to cut back on the amount of meats we eat.  The Word of Wisdom says to eat meats sparingly and I feel that we have a long way to go before we can say we are following those guidelines. 

Anyway, forgive the tangent above... I've learned from this book that along with all dairy products and eggs, even honey is out on a vegan diet.  It's an animal product so I shouldn't have been surprised by that but I was.  Did you realize that honey is un-vegan (not a word, I know!)? 

I've also learned that there are a gazillion ingredients out there that I've never heard of and normal grocery stores apparently haven't either.  So, it's back to Whole Foods again.  They carry more of the not-so-normal ingredients.  Hopefully they don't remember me from my last visit! 

Well, we already know her take on meats... NONE! 

Do you see why it's so frustrating to try and define exactly what clean eating is?  **Sigh**  All I can do is give you a few guidelines and you get to decide from there what's right for you and your family.  I'll let you know what my family has been doing along the way.  That will help define what clean eating is for US!  It may differ from your idea of clean eating. 

OH!  That reminds me, another way they differ is on the subject of SOY!  How do you feel about soy?  My family has never really integrated soy into our diets so I tend to side with book number one above on this subject.  They believe it to be too highly processed not good for our bodies anyway so they avoid all soy products.  Book number two uses some soy, and book number three seems to LOVE it.  There are still plenty of recipes without soy but as a whole, she seems to love it. 

Another thing we'll discuss in the future is sprouting.  I can honestly say that I have never sprouted anything.  Not wheat, nuts, quinoa, buckwheat, nothin'.  But I'm tellin' you, it seems to be the one common theme among all three of the books.  So, that's a subject for later... perhaps MUCH later.  We'll see how long it takes me to successfully sprout something.  Then, and only then, we'll discuss.  Have you ever sprouted anything?  I could definitely use a pointer or two.  Maybe ten. 

The only basic definition of clean eating I can give you is that it means no processed foods, no refined sugars, eat what God gave you!  Basically, if God made it, you can eat it.  If man made it, DON'T!  I realize that's vague but we'll figure it all out together.  And hey, there are exceptions.  There are ALWAYS exceptions... to everything. 

Well, I guess that's it for our intro.  Confused?  Don't be.  I'll help you out with the process as we get going.  Check in tomorrow morning for Step 1 of The Clean Eating Challenge.  See you then!  I promise not to be a day late.  It'll be up first thing in the morning. :)

Oh, and don't forget to comment and let me know that you'll be doing the challenge with us.  LeShel, if you end up being the only one, I guess you win!  ;)  I'm going to give away one of the books listed above.  The winner gets to choose which one is the most appealing to them.  It doesn't matter when you decide to join... now, a week from now, three weeks in, whatever.  Just let me know you are taking the challenge and at the end, a winner will be chosen! 

Are you ready?

Monday is almost here!  You know what that means, right?  EAT CLEAN TIME!  So, get ready.  It's going to be great.  I hope you'll join me and see how good you can feel.  Honestly, it's amazing. 

Later tonight I'll have a post about what clean eating really is and some resources to help you.  Can't wait! 

Sesame Chicken

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of this recipe (or the next one I will post).  Anthony was still at work when I prepared them and since I didn't have my camera back, I was dependent on his phone for pics at the time.  But I promise to take pics the next time I make them and replace this text with pics.  And I will definitely be making them again, they were soooo good!  

Oh, and by the way... I HAVE MY CAMERA BACK!!

This was one of the first recipes I looked at in my collection of recipes and thought, I can totally clean that up!  It would be no problem.  Simple modifications and VOILA!  A clean recipe.  Mind you, this recipe does have sugar, clean sugar, but sugar.  The best kind of clean recipe would not have sugar at all, at least not for dinner, but I knew this would be a cinch to clean up so I went with it. 

My kids and Anthony absolutely loved this dish.  They thought it was divine and I got a good chuckle out of it because it really was so simple.  

Sesame Chicken
4 or 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 T. whole wheat flour
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. canola or olive oil
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. white pepper

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Beat egg in a small mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients.  Place in bowl with lid or gallon size zipper bag with chicken pieces.  Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 


1/2 c. Sucanat (stands for Sugar Cane Natural)**
1/4 c. agave nectar
1 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. vinegar
1 T low sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced 
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. cornstarch

Combine all above ingredients except water and cornstarch.  (combine water and cornstarch in a separate bowl and set aside for now).  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Once boiling, add cornstarch and water mixture.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat but keep warm. 

canola or olive oil
2 T sesame seeds

Fry chicken pieces in small amount of oil either in skillet or wok until done.  Once cooked, pour warm sauce over chicken.  Stir to coat and place in serving dish.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

**Note:  Sucanat is basically sugar in a whole, dehydrated form.  It still has the molasses and is not refined, minimally processed.  It's also sometimes called "dehydrated cane juice". 
 
Recipe Source:  Adapted from Worldwide Ward Cookbook:  Mom's Best Recipes

Kebab, anyone?

So, what do you do when dinner isn't planned out and it's 5:30 already?  Spaghetti, right?  Oh wait, that was tonight... but last night we were in this exact predicament. 

Hmm, what should we have?  I had two chicken breasts, a small container of cherry tomatoes and one green pepper.  KEBABS, of course! 

To be honest, Anthony and I have never made these before.  The only thing I know is that you take meat, a bunch of veggies and fruit.  The only fruit I could think to use was pineapple.  I was out of the canned chunks but had some canned sliced pineapple.  Voila! 

Ok, so maybe in a perfect world we would have had more options (maybe some mushrooms, olives, steak, onions, etc.) but this worked great in a pinch.  We used what we had and loved them! 

Forgive the pictures... remember I'm using Anthony's phone while my camera is somewhere in California being serviced 'under warranty'.  We'll see.  My guess is they come back and say that I did something to it.  I didn't, but I'm guessing they'll say so. 

The best part?  Completely CLEAN!!! and delicious, of course.

Oh crap!  I just remember that I was going to post the Sour Cream Chocolate Cake. 

Clean Eating Challenge? Maybe?

Ok, so I have been extremely naughty these past two weeks.  So naughty, in fact, that we are adding a week to our P90X routine that is turning it into P97X for us. 

In the past two weeks, we've only done less than a week's worth of workouts and our diet has been terrible! 

The week of the Marathon was awful because with company in town and family gatherings, it's hard to have control over what is served.  This week started out alright and then BAM!  Easter happened.  Darn those evil Cadbury Mini Eggs!  (And other evil concoctions).  I feel awful!  Physically I mean.  I've been bloated and sluggish, not exactly the way I am accustomed to feeling these days.  And poor Anthony, he literally got sick!  He wanted to hurl all day yesterday, literally, after all the yuckies we've consumed. 

So, here's the plan!  I really really really really really need to get back to eating well.  My body is screaming for some real food again.  I've been thinking that maybe others need or want some motivation as well.  I thought about talking to Anthony and devising a plan....

Would anyone be interested in a Clean Eating Challenge?  We'll call it... The Clean Eating Challenge.  Clever, I know!  **takes a bow**

I will put it up on my blog in steps and at the end, I'm willing to bet that all participants (if I have any...) will be feeling better, looking better, and possibly may have lost a few pounds.  It works!  I promise.

So, is anyone interested or would I be wasting my time?  Maybe I'll do it anyway, or maybe not.  Depends...

Also, I will be posting Easter pics later tonight for those interested (Mom and Dad, Kortney).  And I've got a few stories to back them up, too! 

Inspiration

I have a friend that just recently started a clean eating blog.  She's got some really great recipes that I can't wait to try (especially since many of them are dessert recipes ;)) 

There have been a few people inquiring about what Anthony and I are doing so I just wanted to give you, in case you're interested, a few tips that seemed to work well for us.  But Brynne answers a lot of questions you may have about clean eating.  

• Stop drinking your calories!  We drink water only with the exception of one protein shake every day.   That was a toughie for us both.  Anthony was addicted to Coca-cola and I looooove milk.  This is Anthony's greatest achievement (says Anthony)... to stop drinking soda. 
• Use real butter instead of margarine.  It tastes better anyway, just don't get carried away.  A little bit is good. 
• Don't count your calories!  Sounds funny, I know.  Not what you're used to hearing but when you are eating the right things, you don't need to.  That's what I love about this 'diet'.
• Cut the sugar!  This is where I'm definitely still a work in progress.  If the sugar police were around, I'd be fined for sure... if not jailed.  I cheat much more often that 'allowed' in the clean eating plan but I still consume a lot less sugar than I did just 5 or 6 months ago.  A LOT LESS! 
• Eat 5 or 6 smaller meals per day.  Try to pair a protein with a carb and eat until satisfied, not overly full.  If you're drinking your water like you should be, you should naturally be hungry again about 2-3 hours later.  Don't go much longer than this or your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to whatever you give it. 
• Lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  Basic, I know but sometimes we get caught up in the ideas of other diets that sound good but really aren't the way to go.  Take for instance my frustration with the P90X diet.  Nothing happened and I felt AWFUL!  Went back to clean eating the last week of the first phase and dropped two pounds.  It works!  And to prove it even further, since then I've already dropped another 3 pounds.  But I'm always full.  My metabolism is on FIRE and I love it!  And I'm not counting calories. 
• Exercise!  What I've learned is that if you do only cardio (which is essential by the way) you will truly become a smaller version of your current self.  I've always heard that but didn't quite understand it until now.  We started eating clean, lost some weight, added cardio, lost a few more pounds, but we both looked exactly the same, just smaller.  In order to actually change the way your body looks, you have to add resistance or weight training.  P90X is kicking our butts into shape... literally!  The first week or so is really hard (on any exercise program) but after that, you just know it's a necessary evil.  I still don't like exercising but I just keep pushing play.  If I want the change, I have to put in the work. 
• Listen to your body!  It knows what you need and when you need it.  

We never realized how poor our diet was before.  I thought I felt good.  But after eating clean for a while, we can both tell when something is processed or has a lot of sugar.  Processed foods just sit heavy and doesn't digest as quickly as real food and the sugary stuff makes me feel jittery, not to mention guilty! 

Like I've said before, I am definitely not an expert.  Lots to learn still and much progress to be had but if you have any questions, please let me know.  It's not easy at first but it does get easier. 

  

Once upon a time

There was a time, about a month ago, that I thought it would be a grand idea for Anthony and I to take the P90X challenge. 

So, we are.

Things went well for the first three weeks.  They were a painful three weeks but it felt good.  And finally it was week four, what Tony Horton calls 'Recovery Week'. 

I can't tell you how happy I was to make it to this week.  After three grueling weeks of hard core push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and a myriad of other painful moves, I was soooo ready for my 'recovery'. 

Recovery week, my butt!

I don't know who this Tony Horton guy thinks he is but I am positive he wouldn't be on Santa's 'nice' list.  Not only is he making us do Yoga ... TWICE (the hardest workout up to this point) but he's also added Core Syngergistics... TWICE (never done it until this week).  Ummm, hi!  Newsflash, Tony.  Core work does not equal nice and relaxing as implied by the deceiving name of week four. 

Let me just say, if you hear the words "banana" or "boat" (not to be confused with "banana boat" ;)) used in the context of exercise, RUN!  Run far away!  Unless I'm talking about the food (which I love), I am not a fan of the word "banana".  

Yes, I'm whining.  So sorry.  

But not really because I'm about to do it again.  

Not only are these workouts hard enough to get through with a workout partner (such as a spouse) but I've had to endure two, yes TWO, of them all. by. myself!  Anthony is just so darn lazy!

I mean, seriously, just because you're training for a marathon, running up to 20 miles sometimes, nursing an injured calf, and getting a chest cold... that is NOT a good enough excuse to take the night off from P90X.  *totally kidding, by the way*

Those two workouts just about killed me off.  Anthony sat on the sidelines and cheered me on.  I needed a cheerleader, I tell ya.  It would have been so easy, and it was very tempting, to shut the DVD off half way through.  But he wouldn't let me, darn those cheerleaders.

And here's where my frustrations lie at the moment.  Here's Anthony, losing TONS of weight, changing his shape and getting awesome results.  And I'm so happy for him.  He's loving the changes. 

And then there's me.  We're only days away from taking our Phase 1 pics and I swear to you, I don't look any different than I did on day one.  My weight hasn't changed, my measurements haven't changed, and I'm eating so much better than I used to.  What's up with that? 

We first set out to change our eating habits and discovered 'clean eating'.  THAT has been wonderful!  Sure, we cheat... a lot more than we should but we feel a lot better and our energy levels are up.  We even started losing weight, without exercising. 

Then, when we started P90X, I started the P90X diet.  Tried it for the first two weeks and felt awful!  Maybe it works for some people but I was only supposed to eat ONE carb per day.  Are you kidding me?

I LOVE CARBS!  Good carbs, that is. 

But not only do I love them, I was so low on my energy levels.  I was falling asleep all. day. long.  And the scale didn't budge. 

So then, week three came and I kind of went back to my old ways.  I ate mostly clean but kind of ate what I wanted as well.  Smaller portions but still...

Besides, that was the week of the birthday party for Anthony, B, and C (details on that later, lots of pics) and I had made THE best cupcakes EVER!  Malt Shop Cupcakes.  They were to die for, I swear, they really were that good.  Maybe it was the fact that I felt deprived of such luxuries with the eating clean thing but they got rave reviews from everyone that tried them.  Mmmm!  I could go for one about now.  I think I ate a total of four that week.  Willpower, no?  The scale... didn't budge.

Anyway, so that was a BAD week.  This week, week four, I have gone back to strictly clean eating.  My energy is back and I feel good again.  I started to lose weight, just a couple pounds, and then Anthony's birthday came and his parents took us to dinner Thursday night.  The blasted prime rib and the rolls with the cinnamon butter... GRRR!  And of course we had to have cake when we got home.  He requested a chocolate one.  It was pretty heavenly as well.  Sour Cream Chocolate.  Yum!  We threw the remainder away so we wouldn't eat it.  Isn't that sad?  Every pound is back. 

Frustrated?  Yes.  Giving up?  NO!  I can't.  I'll finish my 90 days.

I know I'm building muscle, I can feel it, it's all still just hiding under a layer of frosting.  Someday, that frosting will go.  I know it.  And I feel stronger.  Anthony says he can see a difference.  We'll see when we take the pics. 

This may not sound like I'm eating any better than I used to but if you know me at all, you know that I have a major sweet tooth.  Resisting candy and desserts is just about impossible for me.  So truly, this has been a major change for me. 

**I have lots to post about birthdays, etc. but for now I am using Anthony's phone to update until we get the internet again.  His phone doesn't handle the pictures well.**