Day 5 Juicing: Things I Miss

Ooooh, it sounds so fantastic to say day FIVE of juicing.  I am trying to convince Heather that perhaps the original plan of a 7-day fast will suffice, versus her initial idea to fast for 10 days...so I will let you know how that turns out...but I am half way through day 5 and it really hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. 

Today was weigh-in day for me.  Monday's have always been my day.  Last Tuesday (we were out of town on Monday), I weighed 186.6.  Today I weighed 179.0 (I will change my ticker asap).  So in 6 days, 4 of those juicing, I have lost 7.6 pounds.  Seeing the 170's again is SO nice.  I probably haven't seen anything in the 170's for 6 months or so.  I need to check my log.  I am looking forward to seeing 177 and getting past that, because for the longest time I hovered around 177.

When I initially reached my goal of 170, and then went a little lower...my regain usually came in 3 pound sets.  I would gain 3 pounds or so...and hover there for a month or two.  Then I would gain 3 more pounds, and hover there for a month or so.

Rinse and repeat.

That's how it happens.  When you are up "just 3 pounds", it doesn't sound that bad.  Until that "up 3 pounds" weight becomes your new normal.  And then you put on another 3 pounds...and before you know it, you have gained 20 pounds.

My goal this time around is to hit 165 and remain there...in the 160's.  I want to hit 165 by May 18th.  And to do that, (I just rolled my eyes...at my own self...)I am going to have to do better in prepping my meals and making meals for us at home.  Yes...I love broccoli now (steamed).  And sometimes I try other veggies (besides the bad "Workman veggies if you will: canned green beans, canned peas, potatoes, corn)...but I need to do better with incorporating other veggies into my diet.

Last weekend Sharika (the other Heather) made some cabbage.  And I ate some of it with my pork chop and it wasn't half bad!

I need to maintain a focus on more good, less bad. 

I really thought I would be craving and missing sugar/sweets more than I have been since juicing.  I am craving salty treats though...like chips, nuts, cheetos :)  I am also just missing FOOD.  Seriously, I can't go on Pinterest. It's dangerous.  And Groupon?  Hell, I bought a food groupon just the other day because I was jonesing! 

But I can't wait for our first meal.  And what's crazy is...it's not even a binge meal I am planning in my head.  I want grilled chicken breast and yes...cabbage! 

I want steamed broccoli.

I want almonds.

My FEAR is, that I am not very good at "just having one".  You know, you arent supposed to say "I'm NEVER having pop (soda) again"...because you just end up thinking about and craving pop all the time...but what if I have one Pepsi and it starts a landslide?

I guess I will figure it out as I go.

Such is life friends.

Happy Monday.  Keep fighting the good fight!

Juicing Day 4: Still Alive

Well, none of you must have been concerned that I had rode a juice truck off a bridge...because I havent received any panic emails from you, but JUST in case any of you have been staying up nights worrying about my well-being, Heather and I have made it to day 4 without killing each other or anyone else.  Day one was really the toughest.  Heather called my office at 11:30 am...after being awake and "juicing" for less than 5 hours and said "I can't do this".  So I marched right over to HER office and told her that she can do this and that she will do this because WE AREN'T QUITTERS...and if she WANTED to quit then everyone would know it (she is such a sucker for peer pressure).   She said "I haven't told anyone we are juicing", I told her "Well, I've told EVERYONE".  So, she sucked it up and drank her juice (holding her nose like a big girl).

Day 2 I made a juice with 3 cups of blueberries, a couple handfuls of spinach, a carrot, and a orange.  That was much better.

Yesterday gave birth to our favorite juice so far called Peach Pie.  It called for 3 sweet potatoes, 2 golden delicious, 4 peaches and some cinnamon.  Now it should be noted that I thought perhaps this was going to be DIS-GUST-ING.  I mean, who wants to drink sweet potatoes?!?  But guess what? It really tasted like a peach pie!  I mean...minus the pie part. 

I almost...ALMOST snuck a couple of peanuts last night.  They are taunting me from the cabinet.  A sane person would throw them away.  But who ever said I was sane.

Our Double Bridge Run on February 2nd is fast approaching. It's 9.2 miles and I havent ran in weeks.  We set out yesterday for a 6 mile run.  It was sad.  Both Heather and I walked at least half.  My goal is to do that route 2 more times this week, improving my time each time.  The thing about the run coming up is, there is a "sag wagon" that follows the slowest person and if you don't keep a 14 minute pace...they pick you up.

I won't be the slowest person, but I COULD get picked up if I dont get to steady training.

I hope everyone is having a beautiful weekend!

kisses!

Juicing: Day One of Ten

For those of you who read my blog yesterday, you may remember that Heather and I were going to embark on our Juicification Tour, lasting 10 days, starting TOMORROW.  As in FRIDAY.  Well Heather got confused and last night thought we were starting today so I said "Why not darling?"  Why not.

WELL HELL!

If I would have known that we were starting today I would have at least ate a Snickers or something yesterday.  There was NO TIME.  NO TIME I tell you.

But this morning, I woke up ready to juice.  This is the concoction I made:

2 apples (cored)
2 oranges (dont forget to take off the damn rind, but leave the white stuff)
1/2 cucumber (peeled)
3 carrots
hand full of kale
3 broccoli spears

I can't lie to you.  It's all sorts of wrong.  I should have added blueberries or SOMETHING...cuz this is what it looks like:

That's rough folks. My recipe rendered close to 30 ounces...so I drank half for breakfast and I am working on the other half right now for lunch.

I'm not sure if it's the kale or the cucumber...but it's tooooo earthy.  Let's stop talking about it.

Now, I am wise enough to know that anyone can make a film promoting something and make it sound like the best thing in the world.  I am sure you could make a documentary, and get a scientist of "doctor" to say things like "the charcoal briquette diet is PERFECT"...

With that said, juicing of course is not something that could or should sustain your for your life.  I am hoping that after this 10 days, that juicing is something I can ADD to my diet to help me get some of the things I am missing.

One of those things that I am adding, that you don't have to be juicing to utilize, are Chia seeds.  Yes...the chia seed from the infamous Chia Head Pet explosion of the 80's.  I never had one.  I always wanted one...

sigh...

Anyways, I first read about Chia seeds last year in a magazine.  The seeds, when mixed with water, start to expand and create a gel like substance.  You can mix some seeds with a little bit of water and crushed fruit of your choice and you have jelly (almost).  They have no taste or flavor and get this...they are FULL of omega-3 fatty acids (I dont eat fish and rarely get this in my diet), they expand which makes you feel full longer (so they say), they have fiber, and even some protein!  You can mix them with anything.  Salad dressings, juice, yogurt, cereal...they say you can even mix them with your water...I havent tried that yet.

The package I got is a very fine grind, and looks like this:

Now I can't find Chia seeds at my grocery store, Publix.  But I found it at our Fresh Market grocery store and they werent that expensive.

Google it.  Try it.  Let's start a revolution.  I wonder if we can buy stock.

We Be JUICING!

Happy 2013 my friends!  Isn't the start of a new year so damn fun?  I am one of the few that probably still uses an actual pen and paper calendar for work, and there is that dreaded "in between" time when you are still using 2012 AND using 2013. Well not today folks...not today!  Today there is only one planner on my desk and it's 2013.  Full of so many possibilities yes?  I mean, the January 1st is like the Monday of ALL Mondays...even if happened to be a Tuesday this year.

You know what I mean.  We are always going to be starting something on Monday.  And now I bet most of us plan/planned on starting something yesterday.  You may have already screwed up.  And that's okay! I was going to run yesterday.

I didn't.

So I will pretend tomorrow is January 1st.  Yippeee.  Like Groundhog's day.

I have been off for about 10 days.  For those of you who continue to say "you couldn't be a stay-at-home-girlfriend, you would get bored", I continue to say WROOOOONG!  I love being home.  Anywhoozle, we were piled up on the couch the other day doing one of my favorite things to do with Heather....

NO.  Not that. 

We were watching documentaries via Netflix.  We started with

It was wonderful and free is you have streaming on Netflix.  About midway through the movie, it mentioned juicing.  Basically, if you aren't EATING your 7-10 servings of Fruits & Veggies a day, they recommend juicing them.  Heather turned towards me and said "We need a juicer"...and turned towards Heather and said "Okay".

I mean, let's be honest.  I've kinda wanted a juicer my whole life...and here was my chance. 

Let me pause there before I get carried away about our new juicer (hold on though...it's coming).

The film talk a lot about how we may be fatter than ever, but we are actually starving.  Starving for nutrition.  This really hit home to me because even after the lapband, I was consuming mucho less food...and yes...I did add some better choices..but for the most part, I was just eating a smaller amount of the same kinds of food as pre-surgery.  For example, pre-lapband I would get a Big Mac.  Post lapband, I would make my own hamburger, without a bun of course, but still smothered in cheese, mayo, ketchup...etc.  We consume so much unhealthy food that our bodies are starving for the good stuff. 

Too bad the good stuff sometimes taste like poo rolled in grass.

So, if you buy a good masticating juicer...the juice is ALMOST as good for you as the real thing (you still get a little more fiber from eating the veggie in pure form...

So we went to Bed Bath and Beyond to get us a juicer.  Now in my mind, I am thinking somewhere around the $150 price point.  We go in, and there are some juicers around $70...and then several around $150....and then one that was $379.  Well I point to the midrange and Heather points to the grand daddy ($379).  Now, she was technically paying for this juicer so I was like "OKAY, let's get it!" Even though once her credit card bill comes I will be paying for it too...by listening to her complain and moan.  But, we picked up the box and headed to the checkout with one of my 2,098 Bed Bath and Beyond coupons that I hoard just in case I ever need to build a hut out of them in the wilderness.

Omega VRT350HD Vertical Silver Juicer

After a quick stop at the grocery store, we went home to test drive our new baby.  I learned several things that day about juicing.   1.  It's kinda awesome.  The "pulp" that comes out the other end is mesmerizing. 2.  Any recipe that calls for BELL PEPPER should probably be avoided.  Because it takes like you are drinking a BELL PEPPER.  And mama don't play that. 3.  Even though your juicing book may ASSUME you know, they should not assume.  You apparently are supposed to remove the rind from the damn oranges.  If you don't, the drink will taste just like you are actually eating rind.  And no one likes that. 4.  Carrots are a good base for all juices.  I am thankful we belong to Sam's club. 5.  It's kinda fun and addicting!



SO...are you still with me?...

Heather and I decided we would do a juice cleanse for 7 days.  And then somehow that turned into 10 days.  And I told her she couldn't do it...and she told me if I could do it, then she could do it.  And then I said "Hunny...I did clear liquids for 2 weeks for surgery...I can JUICE...mmmmkay"?

But that means for her:

1. no beer

2.  no coffee

3.  no gum

nothing but what comes out of our juicer.  So 3 days into our juice...someone better make sure we haven't killed each other.  I will be craving chocolate and nachos and she will be craving her beer.

Oh it's gonna be awesome. 

But honestly, more than any weight I may lose from doing this, I am excited to see if getting my veggies and fruit will help with my complexion, my hair, my energy...

I will OF COURSE keep you posted.

Happy Wednesday friends!

I Wanna Be Tiny & Other Semi-Lesbian Musings

The other day I was looking at this girl (and by girl I mean 23 year old) and she was itty bitty.  Size 0 maybe?  And I was thinking: "Sigh, I wish I was TINY".

And then I felt myself say: "Self, you don't want to be TINY.  Your girlfriend likes a little meat and you like muscle and curves too.  You just want to be thinner and healthy."

Shut up self I said! 

TINY!  That was what I wanted to be.  I mean, sure...it may not bring happiness but clothes shopping has to be easier right?  At least that?

So fine.  Maybe I don't want to be tiny...but it might be fun for a little while.

This is me and my friend Nathan post workout this morning.  I was in beast mode and it felt good.  (random)

My girlfriend is sick.  And I realize that those of you in life partnerships with men also suffer from the "big baby phenomenon" I am about to mention but I think, I think it's a tad bit worse with two women.  As mentioned before, Heather, bless her heart, is high maintenance.  I mean she may look all tough and strong, but do not be fooled friends.  She is more girly than I behind the scenes. 

Case in point:  She cries at Grey's Anatomy more than I do.

But when she is sick, and by sick I mean a minor baby head cold...oh GOODNESS.  Sure as my name is Amy Irene Workman, she needs to be coddled and babied.  And don't get me wrong...I am all about coddling.  But it becomes tricky when I have a cold at the same time.  And by cold I mean, an "emotional cold" if you will.  Or in other words, I just need attention.  But I can't get babied or attention bc SHE needs babied and attention. 

You dig?

And listen...I hate to talk about things like politicos and religion...but...I am just going to say it.

There is a difference in brands of tampons.

Okay?  I am a pearl girl.  No cardboard applicators for this lady lilly.  No.  No janky little compact tampons neither.  But my girlfriend, who is cheap, buys whatever is the cheapest AFTER she uses all of my good tampons...

and that will stop.  Here me now.  It will stop.

Somethings you can't skimp on.  Cheese.  Cereal.  Tampons.

The end.

In other news, I also tried to play the "world is ending so we better DO IT tonight just in case" card.  But..yes...BECAUSE SHE IS SICK...she can't participate.  I told her that if the world ends at midnight she is going to be really sorry tomorrow.

:)

Our kitty is still bringing in sweet furry moles into our house.  She gets them from the backyard, brings them through the doggie door and places them around the house.  For those of you who have never seen a mole in real life, this would be an example:

Precious.  That is not one of OUR moles...I tried to take a picture the other night but the little fellow wouldnt hold still.  Their eyes and ears are covered in fur, and they don't move real quick and they are softer than soft!  Luckily they are usually alive when I find them, so I can go free them to our backyard where they can continue to destroy it...but the other night I came home from work...unlocked the front door...and there were my three dogs and a mole...just walking around the living room.

Our house is a zoo.

Speaking of zoo...my family is in town.  Mother, father, brother...and my sister and nephew have been coming over every night...and my niece should get here Sunday. 

Have I mentioned we have a tiny house, three fat dogs, one cat, and random moles?

I need a nap.

I have been doing pretty good these last few days.  I haven't gone crazy dieting but havent gone crazy consuming either. 

Tomorrow I have a few presents left to buy and stocking stuffers to purchase and then I should be ready for Christmas!

Happy Thursday friends!

A New Day A New Diet

Listen kids, I keep it real with you don't I?  Well, pretty real.  I mean, I do have SOME boundaries (albeit very loose). So I don't want to come at you with "I am not on a diet, I am changing the way I eat for a lifetime" nonsense...bc let's be honest...when you aren't eating what you want because what you want to eat makes your ass fat and your stomach topple out and over the top of your pants...well then friends...you are on a diet.  NOW, maybe at one point, your diet does bc your habit and wah-lah, you have changed your lifestyle.  But I ain't there, and I don't know if I will ever be there.  So, let's look at what the definition of diet is, when one googles DIET.

di·et

/ˈdī-it/Noun

1.The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. (one could say that I habitually make poor diet choices)

2.A legislative assembly in certain countries. (one could say I have no idea what this is referring to)

Verb

Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight: "it is difficult to diet in a house full of cupcakes".

Synonyms

nutrition - nourishment - food - regimen - dietary

So there we go.  We are all on the same page now.  Well anyways, it would be safe to say that I have been firmly routed outside of the healthy eating stratosphere now for...gosh...a year?  I would say that with the exception of a few bouts of a one or two day stretch, I haven't really been trying to watch what I have been eating at all.  While I am not making positive food choices, I am constantly aware of how bad the choices I am making...are.  But just like the years of eating that got me to 333pounds, I can usually justify or squash those voices by eating more food.  Dangerous slope.  So I woke up and weighed in Monday. 

192.6

I thought it might be a little inflated due to being on my period...but whatever.  I then went and got out my weight loss journal that I have had since 2000.  I used to record my weight EVERY Monday during my losing phase after post-op.  As you can see, I haven't recorded my weight since September.

So I wrote it down and I also took my measurements.

And so we begin again. 

Such is life.

Some of the behaviors I know I am going to have to remedy are:

Eating fast food.  When I was actively losing, especially during the first year...I barely EVER ate fast food.  If I ate anything, it was Wendy's chili or Chik-fil-a nuggets.  Because of my loose restriction right now, it is pretty easy to eat fast food, where once upon a time post-band...eating a hamburger with bun while driving meant certain barfing either in my car or on the side of the road.  I didn't try it.  I didn't push the limits.  So...I need a fill soon to help my otherwise worthless brain by taking the fast food card off the table.

I need to stop drinking regular soda.  Blah.  I SO love regular soda.  This is a tough one for me.

And that goes along with the fact that I need to resume drinking water on a regular basis. 

ALSO, I remember...vaguely...when I would count my naughty items.  Like, oh I had ONE muffin today.  Or I ate three little tiny miniature tiny peanut butter cups.  Now, it's like I count containers.  I ate ONE BAG of peanut butter cups.  I need to try and regain awareness of the magnitude of my poor choices.

I need to set a weight loss goal and be held accountable.  I am signing up for the biggest loser at work on Jan. 3rd.    Heather runs the competition, it's a $10 buy-in, lasts for three months.  I did this about a year and a half ago and came in second.  It was the last time I weighed in the 160's. 

I want to weigh 165 by May 18th...which is the day we run the Tough Mudder competition.  Taking 20+ pounds off my frame with certainly help my endurance and help with the obstacles where my big ass is hanging from things...

Heather said "It's about time you got back in check"...she's right.  She also said "Don't you think it's a bad week to start this diet?" Meaning with the family and holidays upon us...but I said it's better to start, even if I start slowly, than put it off.

It really boils down to eating healthy is NO FUN.  It's HARD WORK.  Shoveling food in my mouth mindlessly is FUN (while it's happening).  And it's EASY!  I don't wanna have to eat good (picture me stomping my food, lower lip out, brow furrowed).  But I think about my little sugarplum Heather...she is hard work and totally worth it.  And I also know I have done it before and CAN do it again.

Again. Again. Again.

So here's to all of us doing it again!  Or for those of you doing it the first time.  Happy Tuesday.  xoxo

Do You Slobber A Lot?

I had the most brilliant thought today.  I don't really know if it is qualifies as a thought...more of a brain occurrence. 

Years ago, my dentist told me that I produce a lot of slobber.  (Actually, he used the word saliva, but that word gives me the heebie-jeebies, so we will go with slobber).  Well today I was getting my teeth cleaned and the dental hygienist commented again about how much slobber I produce.  She said this to me while I was thinking about how I was STARVING and plotting my breakfast in my brain.

And then it happened.  Maybe I do INDEED slobber a lot because I am always thinking about food.  Very Pavlovian.  You know, Pavlov and his dogs?  How the dogs would salivate when he rang a bell and gave them food, and then he found they would salivate at the sound of the bell, not just the food, but because the bell triggered their thoughts about food?

I mean, this may be ground shaking, life changing.  Do you think that those of us who think of food all day produce more slobber?

Think on it.