tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42795259376011406072024-03-13T07:06:10.119-05:00Mommio AndrettiA blog about motherhood and life in the fast lane.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-10383300432388716392016-07-20T21:28:00.002-05:002016-07-20T21:28:24.357-05:00Whole30:Day 31Good evening faithful followers! I made it!<br />
<br />
Today is Day 31 of my Whole30 experiment and boy did I fall of the wagon.<br />
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Today I ate grains, legumes, added sugar, alcohol, and dairy. But, I am planning to start a second Whole30 tomorrow. Or, maybe a Whole7, Whole14 or even a Whole21. I'm not quite sure yet.<br />
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This experiment wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and I really enjoyed eating so healthfully. I didn't miss the food mentioned above and really want to reintroduce them one at a time to see if any of them negatively impact my health. Today was simply a day to celebrate and enjoy dinner with friends.<br />
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Last post I mentioned my new <a href="http://instantpot.com/" target="_blank">Instant Pot</a>. It cooked frozen chicken breasts so well that I decided to make <a href="http://www.mezzetta.com/recipes/detail/cilantro-artichoke-rice" target="_blank">rice</a> in it tonight and it turned out great!<br />
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Last post I also promised to give you my final thoughts on the Whole30, so here goes...<br />
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I have talked about clearer skin and less headaches, but just yesterday I broke out with six new pimples <i>and</i> had a mild headache. This is all related to ovulation, but I was really hoping the Whole30 would minimize these particular issues.<br />
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I also talked a lot about wanting to wake up like Tigger and have Tiger Blood throughout the day, but neither of those have happened consistently for me during this experiment.<br />
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On a positive note, my nails seem a little healthier, my tummy flatter, and my waist smaller. My sugar cravings feel under control, I'm continuing to wean off heartburn medication, and I even lost a few pounds. Weight loss was not my main goal, but it is certainly welcome!<br />
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The Whole30 offers two options for reintroduction. One of them is called the <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/09/dear-melissa-slow-reintroduction-roll/" target="_blank">slow roll</a>, and that is what I plan to do. I'm not sure when I'll start that process, but I plan to blog about it, so stay tuned!<br />
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Thanks for following along. This blog has held me accountable and I've enjoyed sharing the good, the bad and the ugly of the Whole30!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-19657141192224195082016-07-17T21:12:00.001-05:002016-07-18T21:23:22.295-05:00Whole30:Day 28Day 28! Four days since I've posted. Two days to go!<br />
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I have no idea what I've eaten in the past four days, but I can assure you that it (or at least the ingredients) was Whole30 compliant! Almond "pancakes", salmon cakes, salad, fruit, nuts.<br />
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Last week I bought an <a href="http://instantpot.com/" target="_blank">Instant Pot</a> (or as I call it, <i>Instapot</i>) on Amazon Prime Day. I have several friends who have one and rave about it. So far I'm loving it! <br />
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This afternoon the kids and I did the water test to make sure it works. Then I "boiled" eggs in it. I forgot to make an extra egg to taste, so I'll find out tomorrow if they're any good. Scott eats them for breakfast during the week and he said they definitely peeled easier. <br />
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Right now I'm cooking frozen chicken breasts in it. The cook time is 12 minutes! My plan is to make chicken salad tomorrow.<br />
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After three weeks and 5 days I can tell you that Whole30 staples are eggs, <i>unsweetened </i>almond milk, salad greens, avocados, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, spinach, bell peppers, frozen broccoli, frozen cauliflower, frozen sugar snap peas, frozen green beans, beef, chicken, turkey, ghee, unsweetened cocoa, bananas, other in season fruit and vegetables, tree nuts, and Whole30 compliant coconut products, almond butter and cashew butter.<br />
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With only two days to go I'm still not sure what to reintroduce first! I am planning to enjoy a glass of red wine on Day 31, but other than that, I'm not sure what I've missed most - or at all.<br />
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My skin is clearer, my nails seem stronger, my tummy seems flatter, my waist seems slimmer. I have had less headaches and have been weaning off <a href="https://www.drugs.com/famotidine.html" target="_blank">famotidine</a>, an acid blocker.<br />
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When I was pregnant with Foster I developed heartburn/acid reflux/GERD. My OB prescribed <a href="https://www.drugs.com/zantac.html" target="_blank">Zantac</a> which I took until after he was born. I went off the medication, but had to go back on something. My family doctor prescribed <a href="https://www.drugs.com/aciphex.html" target="_blank">Aciphex</a>, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) which I took daily until about two years ago.<br />
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PPIs are not for long-term use and even though my doctor assured me they were okay, I was experiencing frequent headaches and symptoms of a magnesium deficiency, which are side effects of PPI use over one year.<br />
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Since weaning off Aciphex I have been using over the counter acid blockers. Many people who have completed the Whole30 talk about weaning off medications, specifically for heartburn, so I thought I'd give it a try. I am down to taking the famotidine every third day and using Tums as needed. We'll see how it goes once the Whole30 is over and I'm no longer taking a daily acid blocker. Wish me luck!<br />
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I'll let you know how the frozen chicken breasts fared in the <i>Instapot</i> and what my final thoughts are in my next post.<br />
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Until then...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-76742371264882018972016-07-13T21:13:00.002-05:002016-07-13T21:13:51.726-05:00Whole30:Day 24<span style="font-family: inherit;">I literally just had to go look at my calendar to see what day I'm on. I don't know if that's good or bad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where to start? Hmmm. Well, I didn't post yesterday so let me think about what I ate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Breakfast was the usual frittata and hot lemon water. Morning snack was red grapes. Lunch was a salad with mixed greens, tomato, avocado and tuna salad.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tuna was from Whole Foods. It's only ingredients were tuna and water, whereas typical grocery store brands contain soy. I made the tuna salad with homemade mayo and dill relish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday's afternoon snack was homemade trail mix and dinner was leftover chicken drumsticks, Brussels sprouts and roasted carrots and onion. Yum!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I did have some chocolate yesterday, but it was literally three small pieces, about the size of M & Ms. One of the volunteers at the Pregnancy Care Center where I work brought them back from Peru and literally put them in my hand. It didn't seem polite to decline that small of a serving and have to explain the Whole30. She was excited to share and I was excited to try Peruvian chocolate!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today was very similar except my morning snack was cantaloupe and then celery with almond butter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After lunch I ate a Blueberry Muffin Larabar which held me over until supper, which was a recipe from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Starts-Food-Discover-Whole30-Unexpected/dp/1628600543" target="_blank">It Starts With Food</a>. Ground beef, onion, garlic salt, pepper, and red onion served over fresh parsley with sugar snap peas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That banana bread is still a temptation and some coworkers had Nutella today which I would have enjoyed on a banana or apple.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Three weeks in and I still don't feel any more energetic than usual. My skin is clearer and I'm not as bloated as I was before the Whole30. Those two issues are hormonal for me (as I've mentioned), so I'm not sure if one cycle is enough time to see if the Whole30 really resolves them or not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm starting to feel a little anxious about adding sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes back in, as I'm not sure which to start with or even if I want to add them back in. It Starts With Food and <a href="http://whole30.com/" target="_blank">Whole30</a> both have recommendations for reintroduction so I'll be exploring my options this week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After my last post I have been thinking about a Bible verse I can use to deal with sugar cravings and binges:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Corinthians 6:12 </span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Everything is permissible for me," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me," but I will not be mastered by anything.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To paraphrase, <i>I have the right to eat whatever I want, but not all foods are beneficial and I will not be mastered by any of them.</i> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To personalize, <i>I have the right to eat as much sugar as I want, but since too much sugar is not good for me, I will eat a serving and leave the rest. It is not in charge of me!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Or even, <i>I can eat as much sugar as I want, but it is not good for me, so I'm not going to eat any right now. Sugar is not the boss of me!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">I've also been thinking about this quote: </span><span style="color: #181818;">“Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">To personalize, If you eat sugar and feel like the day is ruined, instead of eating more sugar, just start over <i>right now</i>. Don't wait until tomorrow to start over!</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">That quote is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain among others. Anyone know the real source?</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">I'm hoping I can wake up early and enjoy the morning tomorrow. I have a lot to do!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-38819741499682332412016-07-12T10:41:00.002-05:002016-07-12T10:41:36.354-05:00Whole30:Day 22I want some banana bread and chocolate and creamer in my coffee, STAT.<br />
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These have been temptations today. If I was not doing the Whole30, all of that would be in my belly right now.<br />
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But, I'm three weeks into this thing, and I'm gonna finish! I am disappointed that I'm having these cravings, but this morning I woke up at 5:45 and are you ready for this? I stayed awake! <br />
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I had a good hour of quiet time to read my Bible and straighten my hair! You know, the important things.<br />
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Yesterday I had more yard work to do and no time to update, but I basically ate the same things I eat every Sunday. Eggs, Whole30 compliant bacon, lunch at in-laws, signature smoothie and leftovers for supper. No cheats or cravings.<br />
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Sundays I spend a lot of time in the kitchen prepping food for the week ahead. Last night I made a breakfast frittata, cut up strawberries, and made lunch for today.<br />
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This morning I had the frittata and a cup of hot lemon water for breakfast. My morning snack was a Banana Bread Larabar and a hot cup-a-joe (decaf). <br />
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For lunch I had a salad with mixed greens, tomato, avocado and chicken salad. My first afternoon snack was Whole30 compliant trail mix and my second was strawberries and blueberries.<br />
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Scott baked chicken drumsticks and Brussels sprouts for dinner. I love Brussels sprouts! The chicken took a while so I ate two slices of turkey bologna with a Claussen pickle while I waited.<br />
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For an evening snack I had my usual spoonful (or two!) of cashew butter and some almond milk.<br />
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As you can see, my diet is about the same each day. I don't mind the monotony, but some people would. You can also see that I'm snacking more than the Whole30 recommends. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full...unless I'm eating sweets, then I tend to binge which is one of the reasons I'm participating in the Whole30 in the first place.<br />
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Like the banana bread, for instance, if I have one piece, I'll want another and another. I figure if I've already had a sweet for the day, I may as well have more. The healthy diet is ruined for the day and I'll start over tomorrow.<br />
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I know that is not right thinking and I am hoping this experiment will help change my mindset in that regard. The Whole30 has helped me avoid cravings, like today, but what will I tell myself when the Whole30 is over?<br />
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Obviously, a piece of banana bread is not a problem and if I could just stop at one, that would be ideal. But, since that's hard for me, in some ways it's easier just to avoid the banana bread altogether.<br />
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How do you handle temptations? Sweets? Treats?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-62447932474190382072016-07-09T20:28:00.001-05:002016-07-09T20:28:53.607-05:00Whole30:Day 20You guys. I am exhausted.<br />
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The kids let Scott and I sleep until 8:00 this morning! I woke up around 6:00, but since I won't be able to sleep in for the next three days I decided to stay in bed as long as possible.<br />
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Scott made breakfast this morning, two slices of Whole30 compliant bacon and two fried eggs. (I'm pretty sure he used Pam, but that'll be our little secret.)<br />
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I enjoyed a hot cup of lemon water and then had fruit salad and a cup of decaf coffee while I finished the grocery list.<br />
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Scott took the kids to Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills Mall today while I went to the market and then came home and tackled the yard, and by yard I mean an acre of trees. Trees that shed limbs and branches every time the wind blows. Remember all those storms I've been telling you about? Yeah, we had a yard full of downed limbs, branches, etc... Not to mention all the overgrown hedges.<br />
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For lunch I had leftovers again. Boston Pork Butt (it's almost gone, y'all!) and collard greens. I drank a glass of unsweetened tea with it and then got to work.<br />
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Trimmed hedges, pulled down vines, picked up sticks (wheelbarrows full) and then bathed the dog. I was literally soaking wet. Or, as my dad would say, sweating like a fat man at a fish fry. When I bathed Lucky I decided I may as well turn the hose on myself since I was already soaked.<br />
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During the yard work marathon I took a break to drink my signature smoothie which held me over until dinner. Scott made salad with tomatoes, avocados, and Whole30 compliant homemade dressing; grilled steak and baked potatoes. I ate every bite and he wins Father and Husband of the Day!<br />
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I don't think I had more energy than usual today. I love yard work and once I get started it's hard to stop. I <i>can </i>say that my tummy appears flatter, waist looks smaller, skin is clearer, and I'm having less sugar cravings. I'm enjoying all the fresh food and rarely missing processed things like chips and bread. I'm also not really missing dairy, as didn't pine for sour cream on my baked potato. The ghee, salt and pepper were just fine.<br />
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I can't decide how I'm going to celebrate on day 31 or what food (groups) I'll reintroduce first. Any suggestions?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-17293473328640828852016-07-08T21:54:00.003-05:002016-07-08T21:54:57.237-05:00Whole30:Day 19Good evening. It's storming here, again, and I'm sure the kids will be down any minute.<br />
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Until then I'll tell you about my day.<br />
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First of all, I slept until 8:30. The kids were occupied until then, but I guess they finally realized they were hungry. I should have gotten up when Scott got up for work, but that bed is just too darn cozy and for some reason I still have not morphed into <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/01/whole30-timeline/" target="_blank">Tigger </a>or gotten the <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/04/tiger-blood/" target="_blank">Tiger Blood</a> so infamous with the Whole30. Feeling rested and waking without an alarm clock is probably what I wanted most out of the Whole30, but so far, I've only had a few mornings like that.<br />
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For breakfast I had the last of the frittata, fruit salad and hot lemon water. I am a major creature of habit.<br />
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I did not have a morning snack. Probably because I slept late and had a late breakfast. Or maybe because my breakfast was larger than usual. Or, possibly because I was busy with the kids while trying to clean the fridge.<br />
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How do refrigerators get so nasty?! Dog hair?! Is it just ours?! I gave Foster all the expired stuff. He mixed it all together and then tasted it for a quarter. Funny kid.<br />
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Either way, for lunch I had my usual salad greens with tomato and avocado. The protein was chicken salad. I enjoyed the salad with unsweetened tea.<br />
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After lunch the kids and I went to my neighbor's to swim. <i>Thank you Scarlett!</i> Once home I had my signature smoothie for a snack.<br />
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Usually that smoothie holds me over until dinner, but today I was hungry. Scott brought home his lunch leftovers, which included Public Deli salami. I topped a piece of it with avocado before he asked if I was sure I could eat it. Duh. I looked at the ingredients and Dextrose was listed. <br />
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Since <a href="http://www.knowthecause.com/index.php/contributor-blog/39-michael-smith/2053-what-is-dextrose" target="_blank">dextrose</a> is a sugar it is not allowed on the Whole30, but an exception is made for <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/07/new-whole30/" target="_blank">table salt</a> which contains dextrose. And, you know me, if the authors of Whole30 can make an exception for table salt, I can make an exception for salami.<br />
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We went back to Scarlett's house for dinner where she and I made a Thai curry dish. The ingredients were coconut milk, green curry paste, onions, yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, pineapple and shrimp.<br />
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The recipe is from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Starts-Food-Discover-Whole30-Unexpected/dp/1628600543" target="_blank">It Starts With Food</a> and made enough for the two of us. Everyone else had pizza.<br />
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Scarlett and I went on a long walk after dinner and I thanked a Mount Juliet police officer and a retired police officer for their service.<br />
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Mine and Scarlett's dads are both retired police officers and our hearts are breaking for those that were killed in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/us/philando-castile-alton-sterling-protests/index.html" target="_blank">Dallas</a> last night. We are praying for their families and for the families of the men killed in Minnesota and Louisiana. May the truth of each case be determined soon so that we can all be set free from anger and judgement. So that those who died can rest in peace and those that pulled the triggers can be held accountable or exonerated.<br />
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Lord have mercy.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-46632423805115903202016-07-07T18:46:00.002-05:002016-07-07T18:46:44.414-05:00Whole30:Day 18What's happenin?!<br />
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Not much here. Just wrapped up Day 18 of my Whole30 experiment or as my friend, Carrie, called it my "30 day thing".<br />
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Today the kids woke me up at 7:00 after a stormy night. They both ended up in bed with me while Scott was banished to the couch and didn't get any sleep at all.<br />
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For breakfast I had frittata and hot lemon water. My morning snack was half a cup of fruit salad and half a cup of <i>regular </i>coffee. Look at me changing things up!<br />
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I cleaned out our art drawer today and Foster and I melted down all the broken crayons into cute little paw shaped tie dye crayons.<br />
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I also did some laundry and the <a href="https://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do?code=SEMB_P90X_MSN&utm_campaign=Bing_Brand_P90X_Alpha&utm_term=p90x%20dvd&trackingid=e&mkwid=2GBFMmrj" target="_blank">P90x yoga DVD</a>. Man, I love that DVD!<br />
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Lunch was the same as yesterday, but I drank tea instead of coconut flavored sparkling water. The tea is probably what kept me from dozing off during my nap today. That or the four year old girl playing in bed right next to me. She was up last night during the storm, but apparently not in need of a nap. Little does she know she'll be going to bed early tonight! <i>Mwah-ah-ah</i>.<br />
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For an afternoon snack I made my signature smoothie, which held me over 'til dinner. And for dinner I had leftover Boston pork butt and collard greens. Surprisingly I am not sick of either of those!</div>
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Once home from work I'll probably have a tablespoon of cashew butter and a sip of almond milk.</div>
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I would have expected a hormonal headache yesterday or today, but so far, knock on wood, I haven't gotten one! And, my skin is still clearer than usual!</div>
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How was your Thursday?</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-22725645122284493102016-07-06T20:43:00.002-05:002016-07-07T18:02:42.178-05:00Whole30:Day 17Day 17? What happened to Day 16? I don't know. I got behind due to the holiday, but I haven't fallen off the wagon!<br />
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Okay, so Day 16 was Tuesday, yesterday and it was literally more of the same. The only difference was dinner.<br />
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Scott made an Asian one-dish meal of ground turkey, broccoli, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, <a href="https://www.coconutsecret.com/aminos2.html" target="_blank">coconut aminos</a> and mandarin oranges. It was a Whole30 recipe and it was delish!<br />
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Today, Wednesday, Day 17 has also been more of the same:<br />
Breakfast = frittata and hot lemon water.<br />
Snack = peach from <a href="https://thepeachtruck.com/" target="_blank">The Peach Truck </a><i>(Thank you Ashley!) </i><br />
Lunch = salad greens with avocado, chicken salad and a coconut flavored sparkling water.<br />
Snack = trail mix of almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins and coconut pieces (not flakes).<br />
Snack = watermelon. <br />
Dinner = leftover Boston pork butt (the butt that keeps on giving!), collard greens and unsweet tea.<br />
Snack = cashew butter and almond milk.<br />
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I realize a couple things when I look over that list. One, I am still snacking more than Whole30 recommends. And, two, my snacks do not always contain at least two macronutrients.<br />
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<a href="http://bonfirehealth.com/micronutrients-macronutrients-food-breakdown/" target="_blank">What's a macronutrient, you ask</a>. It is either a carbohydrate, fat or protein. <i>Micro</i>nutrients are vitamins and minerals.<br />
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Whole30 recommends you combine at least two of the three macronutrients per snack and all three for a meal. I do really well for meals, but my snacks usually lack. What could I have combined with a peach or watermelon that is either a fat or a protein that I didn't eat at some other point in the day <i>and</i> is Whole30 compliant?<br />
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Foster, my seven year old son, and I spent the day together. We went to Whole <strike>Paycheck</strike>, I mean Foods, and picked up some more Applegate Turkey Bologna (the only Whole30 compliant lunch meat there) and some bacon. BAAAAACON! It is Whole30 compliant and I can't wait to try it this weekend!<br />
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I just checked my calendar to make sure today was Day 17 because I have honest to goodness lost track! This way of eating is becoming second nature.<br />
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This morning I hopped out of bed when the alarm went off and haven't stopped since. Maybe this is the Tiger Blood everyone talks about. <br />
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My skin is still clearer than it usually is this time of month. Maybe it's the lack of dairy and the natural hormones that it contains for calves.<br />
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I am less bloated than usual for this time of the month. Maybe it's all the fruit and veggie fiber.<br />
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I don't know and I don't care and I ain't got no underwear. Good night!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-1266757269911382682016-07-05T12:05:00.003-05:002016-07-07T18:11:39.710-05:00Whole30:Day 15Happy Belated Fourth of July! I don't know about you, but all the July 4th festivities wore me out.<br />
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There are a couple things I keep forgetting to address. The first is that I started taking a probiotic on July 1st. Typically I eat Greek yogurt and drink sweet acidophilus milk which both have probiotics in them. With the Whole30 those are no-nos, but I was thinking maybe I needed some good bacteria in my stomach to help digest all these fruit and veggies. And...I think I was right! My stomach has felt better the past few days.<br />
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The second thing I keep forgetting to tell you is that pure vanilla extract is actually NOT Whole30 compliant. <i>Boo, hoo.</i> It wasn't listed in <a href="http://whole30.com/itstartswithfood/" target="_blank">It Starts with Food</a> as off limits, but it is in the <a href="http://whole30.com/whole30book/" target="_blank">Whole30</a>. The reason is because it contains alcohol and corn syrup. That is one of the arbitrary rules I've previously referred to, because we both know people aren't chugging pure vanilla extract for a buzz or to satisfy a sugar craving! That said, I do have almond extract and from what I can tell it only contains alcohol, no corn syrup, and is permitted(?).<br />
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Yesterday the kids let Scott and I sleep until 8:00! What that really means is that our four year old slept until 8:00. A win-win!<br />
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For breakfast I made paleo pancakes, but this time they weren't <span style="color: black;">pumpkin</span>. <i>This time</i> they were eggs mixed with almond flour and almond extract and they were delicious! No, they did not taste like "real" pancakes, but that wasn't what I was going for. They tasted nutty and their consistency was hearty.<br />
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The recipe I used made four. I had two for breakfast with fruit salad, and two more with applesauce for my morning snack.<br />
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Now, I know what you're thinking, "There she goes again breaking the Whole30 Rules..." But, as I've said before, I don't believe everything I read and since pancakes are not a "problem" for me, I do not have any reservations eating Whole30 compliant ingredients and preparing them healthfully.<br />
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There are other bloggers in the blogosphere who have written similar opinions and also didn't quit the Whole30 for taking a different approach than the book(s) recommend. Whole30 is not the boss of me (us)!<br />
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For lunch I ate salad greens with tomato, avocado and pork. For an afternoon snack I had my signature smoothie.<br />
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For dinner we went to my in-laws for a cookout. I brought collard greens and zucchini chips and ate those with a burger topped with mustard, tomato and pickles. No chips, fries, beans, buns, mayo or dessert for me. And, surprisingly, I was okay.<br />
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My night cap was a spoonful of cashew butter and almond milk. This is a "treat" I look forward to each evening after the kids have gone to bed. Again, it's probably something the authors of Whole30 would recommend against, as they would say I may be developing an unhealthy relationship with food if I'm "looking forward to it" or "considering it a treat" or "finding comfort in it in any way". <br />
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All I can say is that I believe food was created for us to eat <i>and</i> to enjoy and I am doing just that, <i>while</i> really thinking about whether or not I'm hungry, whether or not it's a healthy choice, and whether or not it's worth it considering my health and fitness goals. Does that make sense?<br />
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In short, I'm just not one of those people who will ever drink the Kool-Aid. I do my research and then decide what works best for me. I do this and have done this in every area of my life from choosing colleges and careers, to planning a wedding or eloping, to having babies and raising them, to actively working on my health and fitness goals.<br />
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Despite the tone of this post, I am enjoying the Whole30 (or <i>My</i> Whole30). My tummy is flatter and my skin is clearer. I didn't have any trouble getting out of bed this morning despite the late night I had last night and the fact that I didn't sleep well. And, frankly, I enjoy a challenge. But, like Frank, I'll do it my way!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-6815720748377415582016-07-03T21:08:00.001-05:002016-07-03T21:08:07.050-05:00Whole30:Day 14Sunday. Sundaaaaaay (ala Al Roker).<div>
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It's July 3rd. Also known as Day to Shoot Off Fireworks Even Though It's Not Yet the Fourth Which Means My Kids Will Be Up Late At Least Two Nights In a Row.</div>
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Today I pulled <i>all</i> the weeds. Who's laughing now, Katie? Who's laughing now?</div>
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But seriously, is there anything more gratifying that pulling weeds? As much as I hate weeds, I sure do love pulling them.</div>
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Food was more of the same. The only different thing I ate was stir fried broccoli made by my mother-in-law since I couldn't eat the broccoli casserole she made. Poor me.</div>
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Honestly, it was a little bit of a struggle not to finish off the broccoli casserole as I was cleaning off the table. There wasn't enough to save for later, but too much to toss. I told my mother-in-law and she took one for the team and ate it! That's love.</div>
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Just to recap, breakfast was pumpkin pancakes topped with blueberries. Morning snack was a peach. Lunch was a garden salad topped with balsamic vinegar, beef roast with carrots and potatoes, and stir fried broccoli. Afternoon snack was a pineapple and coconut milk smoothie, and dinner was leftover pork, sautéed veggies and greens. Cashew butter and almond milk are my blogging buddies.</div>
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I've been eating on that Boston pork butt since Wednesday and it looks like I'll be eating it for lunch this week. The variety of my diet has <i>got</i> to be killing you.</div>
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This evening I made fruit salad for the week. Blueberries, strawberries, oranges, peaches and pears. I also prepped raw carrots and celery for the week.</div>
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See how exciting life of Whole30 is?</div>
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Tomorrow is Day 15. Also known as I'm Halfway There!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-49990013524372494422016-07-02T21:49:00.000-05:002016-07-02T21:49:50.589-05:00Whole30:Day 13It's Sssssaturdaaaaay Niiiiiight!<br />
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But you and I both know I won't be up to watch SNL. Zzzzzzzzz.<br />
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This morning the kids let me and Scott sleep until 7:00. I actually woke up before 6:00 and thought about getting out of bed and having some quiet time, but then I thought again.<br />
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For breakfast I made paleo pumpkin "pancakes" and topped them with blueberries. The recipe made five pancakes, but I only ate two. That didn't hold me over long so I ate a peach. That didn't hold me over long so I ate a slice of Applegate turkey bologna and a Claussen pickle. That didn't hold me over long so I ate lunch. Imagine that.<br />
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For lunch I ate salad greens with tomatoes, avocado and leftover pork. Then I went to the grocery. I was so excited to find <a href="http://www.aidells.com/products" target="_blank">this</a> compliant sausage my friend, Kerry, told me about!<br />
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When I got home from the store I was starving and made myself <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pineapple-breeze-smoothie" target="_blank">this</a> smoothie. It was delish!<br />
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Meanwhile back at the farm, I spent the better part of the day cooking greens. My friend, Scarlett, gave them to me and I couldn't wait to eat 'em. I diced and browned a hunk of side pork meat (which was too salty to eat on it's own) along with some garlic and then sauteed the greens until they were wilted. Then I added pork broth (is that a thing?) that I've had in the freezer since March and let it simmer all day. I have to say, I think I outdid myself.<br />
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Scott and I made turkey burgers and roasted vegetables for supper. We used <a href="http://paleogrubs.com/turkey-burger-recipe" target="_blank">this</a> recipe for the burgers and tossed diced summer squash, carrot, potato and onion with EVOO before roasting them for 30 minutes at 450 degrees and then topping them with fresh basil. Again, delish.<br />
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As you know by now, I need a night cap, and cashew butter and almond milk hit the spot.<br />
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Speaking of night cap, while I was prepping dinner I felt a little sad about something and really wanted a glass of wine. That is the first time since I started the Whole30 that I have felt an emotional trigger for a specific food or drink. I was very surprised by it and not sure what to make of it. What are your thoughts? (I had a glass of unsweetened tea instead.)<br />
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Thanks for reading and feel free to comment if you'd like any of the recipes I mentioned but didn't link to. I'm happy to share!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-19639521315954324732016-07-01T21:37:00.001-05:002016-07-01T21:37:06.864-05:00Whole30:Day 12TGIF! Am I right?<div>
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I am so glad the kids are in bed, kitchen is cleaned up and I can go to sleep in a little while! I'm beat.</div>
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This morning I nearly popped out of bed; a milestone for me! The alarm went off at 6:30 and I immediately got going. Didn't hit snooze and didn't lay there calculating how many minutes more I could <i>stay</i> there before I really HAD to get up. I've been waiting for this day since I started the Whole30!</div>
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I had to go to VBS with the kids for Water Day so I didn't have time to make paleo pumpkin pancakes like I did last Friday and had planned to do. Instead, I had two fried eggs and a serving of <a href="http://www.banquet.com/frozen-foods/frozen-breakfast/brown-'n-serve-original-sausage-links-3100030744" target="_blank">Banquet breakfast sausage links</a>.</div>
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Now, here's where I have a confession to make - the sausage links were not Whole30 compliant. They contain several <a href="http://www.jimmydean.com/products/fully-cooked-sausage/fully-cooked-original-pork-sausage-links#nutritional-info" target="_blank">no-no ingredients</a>; sugar, dextrose and MSG. (Although, I don't recall MSG being on the ingredient list of the box I had.)</div>
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These are the sausage links I ate every weekday morning before starting the Whole30 and I was hoping my son would eat the last serving of them. However, he decided that he doesn't like them and my daughter also no longer likes them. Scott has no reason to eat them, as he's at work during the week and makes bacon on the weekends. (Bacon that I can't eat right now because it's cured with sugar! Womp, womp.) So, if I didn't eat them they were going to be thrown away and lemme tell ya somethin, this girl does not waste food! No sirree. There are people starving in Africa, right Dad?</div>
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I knew eggs alone wouldn't hold me over and that I had to have something more. But, I didn't have time to make anything else. After thinking it through, I decided to eat the sausage and never buy it again. </div>
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I don't consider this a deal breaker as I was not intending to cheat and I still have 18 days to go so that any setback those "no-no" ingredients may have caused should have time to work themselves out of my system.</div>
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My confession doesn't end there though, I also accidentally used PAM to spray the frying pan this morning. Doh! As soon as I realized what I had done, I literally stopped, read the <a href="http://yourlivingbody.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/photo-1.jpg" target="_blank">ingredients</a>, and thought about what I should do. What would you have done?</div>
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I decided to go ahead and fry the eggs. I thought about wiping the pan out and using EVOO, but I am really trying to be thoughtful about this "diet" and not robotic. I don't want to be obsessive or legalistic, as these are thought processes I have struggled with in the past (not necessarily with food, but with other life issues.)</div>
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In some ways my decisions to go rogue are helping me more than sticking to the Whole30 <a href="http://whole30.com/downloads/official-whole30-program-rules.pdf" target="_blank">rules</a> would be. I'm typically people-pleasing, rule following, Type A, and anxiety ridden. Facing decisions like the ones I faced this morning and taking time to think them through feels liberating. Not just because I'm breaking the rules, but because I'm using my ability to make decisions and not being controlled by "shoulds" or "what ifs".</div>
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In hindsight, I wish I had planned better for breakfast today. I could have made paleo pancakes last night so that I'd have them ready for this morning (even though they're technically a "no-no" too). I could have eaten an avocado or fruit with my eggs, or both! At the time, I felt limited, but having had more time to think about it, I see where I could have made better choices.</div>
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Hopefully you understand why I'm not <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/06/really-start-whole30/" target="_blank">starting over</a> even though the creators of Whole30 might suggest I should.</div>
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For morning snacks I ate an Apple Pie Larabar and what was left of the fruit salad.</div>
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A generous neighbor gave me a bunch of fresh food before leaving for vacation and with that I made <a href="http://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/veggie-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe, sans the cheese. It was delicious, but I found myself craving crunch for lunch today. That's the one thing I've missed most since starting the Whole30; tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread...</div>
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My signature smoothie was a nice comfort after my failure of a morning and held me over until dinner which was leftover pork, a half an avocado, black olives and raspberries. I had no appetite for veggies.</div>
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My stomach has been uncomfortable this afternoon. So much so that I took some Gas-x to see if that would relieve the discomfort. I don't know if it's all the veggies I ate for lunch or the trace amounts of sugar, dextrose, MSG and soy I consumed for breakfast. What do you think?</div>
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To close the day I ate a spoonful of cashew butter and drank a little almond milk. And now I can't wait to crawl into bed. </div>
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So long Day 12. I started out with a bang, muddled through, and now I'm looking forward to a good day tomorrow! Ciao!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-64734848384564065022016-06-29T21:17:00.001-05:002016-06-29T21:17:49.906-05:00Whole30: Day 10Yo. What's new with you?<div>
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Today was my kids' third day of VBS and my first to have a break this week. Once I dropped them off I came home, went for a jog, put a pork butt in the crock pot, started laundry <i>and </i>mopped the floors. I felt like a new woman!</div>
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For lunch my friend, <a href="http://www.rachaelraeportraits.com/" target="_blank">Rachael</a>, brought her little girl over to play and my sister-in-law and her girls came too. The kids played well and I enjoyed the adult conversation. No, not that type of "adult"! Get your mind out of the gutter.</div>
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Do you want to know what I ate today? Okay, I'll tell ya.</div>
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Breakfast was the same as the rest of the week, bo-ring, but tasty. For a snack I had my signature smoothie.</div>
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Lunch was a salad with leftover taco-<i>ish </i>meat and my afternoon snack was fruit salad.</div>
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For dinner I made Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, a recipe from the Whole30 Facebook page, and served it with sweet potato topped with ghee and cinnamon and my mother-in-law's green beans, which were locally grown. I think that was a run on sentence.</div>
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Just prior to writing this I ate two slices of turkey bologna with a Claussen pickle spear (my favorite!) and now I'm debating a spoonful of cashew butter and some almond milk.</div>
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I'm not feeling like <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/" target="_blank">Day 10</a>, but I'm also not feeling Tiger Blood either. I feel like I'm just cruising along. Not missing dairy the way I thought I would and not really having any cravings.</div>
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I can't help but wonder if I'm doing it wrong...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-68654409366369110382016-06-28T21:38:00.001-05:002016-06-28T21:38:55.960-05:00Whole30:Day 9Good evening faithful followers!<br />
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Scott and I are watching Curb Your Enthusiasm and it's totally ridiculous. Apparently <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_David" target="_blank">Larry David</a> is worth $900 million dollars. The more you know.<br />
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Today's menu is almost identical to yesterday...<br />
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This morning I ate and drank my usual; frittata and hot lemon water. Once at work I had a hot cup-a-decaf-joe.<br />
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For a morning snack I ate fruit salad and for lunch I ate the same salad I had yesterday.<br />
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The salad didn't seem to keep me full for long so I ate trail mix not long afterward.<br />
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Later in the afternoon I ate raw celery and carrots with chicken salad, <i>again</i>, and had another hot cup-a-decaf-joe.<br />
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No applesauce today, but I probably should have had that for dinner because I had another upset tummy today. Nothing major and according to the Whole30 it is completely normal as my body adjusts to all of the meat, vegetables, fruit and tree nuts I'm eating.<br />
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Dinner was the same as yesterday and I even have some left over for lunch tomorrow.<br />
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The past two mornings I haven't hopped outta bed like <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/01/whole30-timeline/" target="_blank">Tigger</a>, but I also haven't had quite the afternoon lull as last week.<br />
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I'm not sure about a night cap of cashew butter and almond milk, but either way, I stayed on track today and am ready for tomorrow!<br />
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How was your Tuesday?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-69027367027130359262016-06-25T22:04:00.001-05:002016-06-25T22:04:25.203-05:00Whole30:Day 6Greetings! Today is Saturday, Day 6 of my Whole30 experiment and I feel the best I've felt all week!<div>
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Now, don't get me wrong, I don't have <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/04/tiger-blood/" target="_blank">Tiger Blood (</a>yet), but today I have felt less hungry and didn't experience my typical afternoon lull.</div>
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This morning the kids let me and Scott, my husband, sleep until 8:00! I could have slept longer.</div>
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For breakfast Scott made eggs and side pork. Side pork was the only bacon-ish meat we could find that didn't have sugar in it. Turns out it is <i>extremely </i>salty and recommended for cooking vegetables, like greens. I only ate a few bites and gave the rest to the dog.</div>
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My son and I cleaned his room after breakfast and worked up an appetite before lunchtime. I snacked on fresh pineapple.</div>
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Once my blood sugar was stabilized I made mayonnaise. Word up. It was simple and yummy! The recipe is in <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/05/mayo/" target="_blank">In Starts with Food</a>, but it only contains egg, lemon juice, light tasting olive oil, mustard powder and salt.</div>
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While I was making the mayo I boiled chicken for chicken salad. I like to keep chicken salad simple so that I can use it in various ways. Mine contains chicken, mayo, celery, dill relish, salt and pepper. I'll probably dip raw carrots and celery in it or use it as my protein for lunch this week.</div>
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For lunch I ate the last pumpkin pancake from yesterday. I warmed it up and topped it with four slices of deli ham and cubed avocado. It was delish!</div>
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Regarding the deli ham. It was Scott's and it was natural. However, it had dextrose in it, which is added sugar. Technically, this is a cheat. However, cheating was not my motive. I was not craving sugar and did not need a fix. Honestly, there were only four slices left in the container and I was trying to clean out the fridge before going grocery shopping. Everyone else had already eaten lunch and didn't want it, so I took one for the team. ;-)</div>
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Side note: There is <a href="http://whole30.com/2014/07/new-whole30/" target="_blank">dextrose</a> in table salt which <i>is</i> allowed on Whole30. As I've said before, I don't want this "diet" to be about legalistically following arbitrary rules - like dextrose is allowed in salt, but not lunchmeat so if I eat lunchmeat with dextrose then I have to start over. Some people my not have eaten the lunchmeat and some people might consider that a cheat. I disagree with some people.</div>
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Between lunch and dinner I snacked on raw carrots and celery and made my signature smoothie.</div>
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For dinner I ate leftover chicken and asparagus from last night with a half a sweet potato on the side. I used ghee and cinnamon to flavor the sweet potato and called it good.</div>
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Once the kids were in bed I made a cup of decaf coffee and paired it with a Whole30 compliant <a href="https://www.larabar.com/our-products" target="_blank">Larabar </a>while I finished reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Water-Anita-Shreve/dp/0316780375" target="_blank">The Weight of Water</a>.</div>
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What did you do today? What did you eat?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-6245400884029040072016-06-24T21:41:00.002-05:002016-06-24T21:41:38.708-05:00Whole30:Day FiveHey. I'm grumpy. Maybe I'm just tired. Worn out from taking care of two kids all day. Or, maybe it really is a <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/" target="_blank">Kill All the Things</a> day. Also, my phone got wet.<br />
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This morning my little red headed alarm clock woke me up around 7, but I snoozed as long as I could. By 7:45 my other red head was begging for breakfast. I am so ready for the <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/01/whole30-timeline/" target="_blank">"Tiger Blood" </a>energy that will (hopefully) get me out of bed without an alarm clock. I'd really like to be a morning person.<br />
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For breakfast I had hot lemon water and pumpkin pancakes. <i>Pancakes?! </i> No, not really. The ingredients are eggs, pumpkin, pure vanilla extract, baking soda, and cinnamon. All are Whole30 approved, but for some reason, <a href="http://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/" target="_blank">"paleo pancakes"</a> are not allowed on the Whole30. (Actually, the pure vanilla extract has corn syrup in it, but since it's negligible I'm not worried about it.) (And, <i>why</i> does it have corn syrup in it?! Come on, Food Industry!)<br />
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If you read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Starts-Food-Discover-Whole30-Unexpected/dp/1628600543" target="_blank">It Starts with Food</a> and/or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=whole30+book&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=86243251598&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12674385408305344267&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_61c60hjgzb_e" target="_blank">Whole30</a> it is clear that the authors don't want you to cheat. So, for instance, if you normally eat pancakes in the morning then you shouldn't switch ingredients to try to make them healthy just so you can get your fix. Instead, you should eat something healthier with fresh ingredients - real food.<br />
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But, here's my take on the whole thing (no pun intended). I don't see any difference in mixing eggs with spinach and spices in order to make a frittata and mixing eggs with pumpkin and spices in order to make pancakes <i>(that aren't really pancakes, by the way)</i>. The only difference is the pan you cook 'em in and whether you use the stove or oven. Make sense?<br />
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So, I went rogue and enjoyed my cinnamon pumpkin eggs, but the rest of the day was on point.<br />
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For lunch I had salad greens with tomatoes, avocados and leftover rotisserie chicken. I nibbled on raw carrots and celery while throwing it together and enjoyed a naturally flavored seltzer water.<br />
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After lunch I still felt hungry so I ate another pumpkin pancake. (The recipe made five. I had three for breakfast and still have one left.)<br />
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Around 2 I felt famished and made my signature smoothie which held me over until supper. Just prior to cooking I ate two slices of turkey bologna and enjoyed a glass of iced tea. Unsweetened, of course.<br />
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I cooked and ate at a friend's house. My friend roasted asparagus with EVOO, salt and pepper while I made a Whole30 recipe of Creamy Chicken Tarragon. Ingredients were chicken breasts, mushrooms, salt, pepper, tarragon, garlic, green onion, chicken broth and coconut milk.<br />
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We served the chicken over salad greens with the sauce as a dressing. Meanwhile, my friend, who helped me cook <i>and</i> was supposed to eat it with me, decided to eat pizza and ice cream. Can you even believe her?! Geesh.<br />
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When we got home I ate a tablespoon of cashew butter, apparently my nightly ritual, and drank a bit of almond milk.<br />
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What did you eat today? Was today your cheat day? Maybe you cheat all weekend like I used to do...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-43629153509573706572016-06-23T21:01:00.001-05:002016-06-23T21:01:52.032-05:00Whole30:Day FourHowdy! <i>Hey Scott White!</i><br />
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Day Four is supposedly a "<a href="http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/" target="_blank">Kill All the Things</a>" day, but lemme tell ya (as my four year old would say), I don't feel that way. Yay!</div>
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My little alarm clock woke me up just before 7 this morning. I was hoping to wake up early and get a move on, but nope, coulda stayed in bed all day.</div>
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For breakfast I had my usual hot lemon water (Are you tired of reading that yet?) and the last of the frittata. Not long after that I ate fresh fruit.</div>
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For lunch I had the same salad I've had all week, but you'll be glad to know the pork loin is all gone, which means tomorrow I'll change up breakfast <i>and</i> lunch!</div>
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While I was making lunch I nibbled on raw carrots and celery and a couple hours after lunch I made my signature smoothie. (See yesterday's post for ingredients.)</div>
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On Thursday afternoons I work from 3 to 7 and take snacks and supper. Today I snacked on applesauce. For supper I ate the ground turkey and sweet potato hash I made last night.</div>
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No decisions about potato chips or stevia today, thank goodness! No cheats and no strong cravings.</div>
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I did have an afternoon lull between 2 and 3, but I got through it with water. I also felt hungry between the applesauce and dinner, and again, I got through it with water.</div>
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How do you get through your afternoon lulls?</div>
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After dinner I made a hot cup of decaf coffee, you know, 'cause it's not hot enough <a href="http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/nashville-tn/37219/weather-forecast/351090" target="_blank">outside</a>. ;-)<br />
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Once home from work my stomach got a little upset. I think my body is reacting more like Days 8-9 right now. But, I ended the day with a spoonful of cashew butter, just like last night, and I'm ready to call it a day. A successful day.</div>
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Hope to see ya again tomorrow for Day Five!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-82510459695804959462016-06-22T21:37:00.000-05:002016-06-22T21:37:02.555-05:00Whole30:Day ThreeHola amigos. <i>Hi Scarlett!</i><div>
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Day three of no added sugar, dairy, legumes or grains and I'm feeling alright.</div>
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Today I slept until 8:15! My four year old normally wakes me up, but since she slept in, Mama got to sleep in. </div>
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One of the potential benefits of Whole30 is waking up without an alarm clock. I hope that happens for me because I could get so much done in the morning if I felt like getting out of bed!</div>
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For breakfast I had my usual hot lemon water and the frittata from Day One. I was hungry a couple hours later and ate pineapple and strawberries.</div>
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Whole30 does not recommend eating sugar right before a workout because your body will burn off that sugar instead of stored fat. But, I was hungry and knew I needed to eat something before working out, so fresh fruit it was.</div>
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After working out I ate lunch, and again, it was the same as Day One and Two. I didn't feel full afterward so I ate homemade trail mix (almonds, raisins, coconut and pumpkin seeds) which held me over quite a while.</div>
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Around 3:00 I started yawning and feeling that afternoon lull. I also felt a mild headache <i>and hungry </i>so I made my signature smoothie (frozen banana, almond milk, unsweetened cocoa and almond butter). The headache could have either been hormonal or from hunger. Since I wasn't sure I went ahead and took Tylenol too.</div>
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Dinner tonight was ground turkey and sweet potato hash, a recipe from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/it-starts-with-food/id536273062?mt=11" target="_blank">It Starts With Food</a>. While preparing it I was craving something other than water (or sparkling water) to drink. My husband makes sun tea this time of year so I poured myself a small glass. </div>
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After the first sip I remembered that he had sweetened it with stevia, which is not Whole30 compliant, and had to make a decision of whether or not to finish the glass.</div>
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What do you think I did?</div>
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I decided to finish the glass. Just like yesterday's dinner, I do not consider this a cheat, as that was not my intention. My intention was to drink something other than water, something I could sip on and enjoy while I cooked supper. I was not craving sweets and normally don't drink sweetened tea. And, because I don't want this experiment to be about following arbitrary rules, I made an educated and thoughtful decision to drink the Truvia sweetened glass of tea and move on. I will not drink it again.</div>
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The ground turkey and sweet potato hash was good. I wouldn't say it was delicious, but it was good enough for a weeknight meal. I added fresh dill, rosemary and green onion in order to jazz it up.</div>
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Just prior to sitting down to write this update I ate a spoonful of cashew butter and that will be it for the day.</div>
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All in all, Day Three was just as successful as Day Two, but not quite as successful as Day One. I'm hopeful that tomorrow I won't have any "decisions" to make about non-compliant ingredients.</div>
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What did you eat today?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-14088279000338281042016-06-21T21:04:00.004-05:002016-06-21T21:04:56.036-05:00Whole30:Day TwoWelcome back! Are you ready for the good, the bad and the ugly?<br />
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Today it's ugly. I have had a tummy ache all day. I probably lost a pound this morning, if you know what I mean.<br />
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Not sure if it's all the veggies and fruit I ate yesterday, but I can't imagine what else it could be. Any ideas?<br />
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Meanwhile, my breakfast and lunch were the same as yesterday.<br />
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Snacks were the same as yesterday too, except I did <i>not </i>have applesauce and I added pumpkin seeds and coconut to the almonds and raisins for a trail mix. It was yummy and held me over longer than the almonds and raisins by themselves.<br />
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Differences today were that I did not feel as sluggish as I did yesterday afternoon and therefore did not have afternoon coffee.<br />
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We ate dinner with extended family tonight and I didn't have any control over the menu. The options were barbecue pork, rotisserie chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, squash casserole, potato chips, fruit salad and dessert.<br />
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The rotisserie chicken and fruit salad were the only things that were Whole30 compliant so I ate those. But, I also made a conscious decision to eat potato chips. The ingredients were potatoes, vegetable oil and salt.<br />
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Vegetable oil is NOT Whole30 compliant, but I felt like I needed to eat something other than the chicken and fruit, especially with my upset tummy. In other words, I'm an adult and I gave myself a pass for the following reasons:<br />
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I do not think potato chips are healthy. I did not binge on them. And, I will not buy them or make them a part of my regular diet.<br />
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I'd love to hear what you would have done in my situation...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-86228418139779503402016-06-20T21:32:00.005-05:002016-06-20T21:32:49.444-05:00Whole30:Day OneToday is the first day of summer. Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year and my favorite day of the year!<br />
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I celebrated by taking my dog for a walk (Literally! Ewwww.) and pulling weeds until the daylight was gone.<br />
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Today I also started the Whole30 and I think it went well. I did feel hungry quite a bit, but then again, I typically eat every two hours. Right Stacey?<br />
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You wanna know what I ate today? Okay, I'll tell ya.<br />
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This morning I drank hot lemon water, my usual, and ate a frittata. The frittata consisted of eggs, sausage, spinach and red pepper. It was very good and I didn't even have to add any seasonings. I made the frittata last night in order to save time this morning. And, it should last through Thursday.<br />
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When I got to work a couple hours later I was hungry, but drank a hot cup of decaf coffee before eating my snack, a fruit salad consisting of strawberries, blueberries, peaches and pears. The fruit salad was also previously made so all the fruit had time to soften while the flavors married. That's a thing, right? Flavors marrying?<br />
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For lunch I ate salad with grape tomatoes, avocado, and leftover pork loin. I usually don't use any salad dressing because I <i>usually </i>have cottage cheese and it adds the creaminess I crave. So instead of trying to find or make a Whole30 compliant dressing I just skipped it. The loin was warm and added chewing satisfaction to each bite and the avocado added some creaminess. I drank naturally flavored seltzer water, as I typically do.<br />
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An hour or two later I felt hungry so I ate a serving of raw almonds and raisins. I totally forgot that I had pumpkin seeds and coconut pieces at home, so tomorrow I'm going to mix all of that for a trail mix and hope that the protein, carb, fat combo holds me over a little longer.<br />
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Stacey, my coworker and I, were both yawning around 3:00 and decided it was time for an afternoon Cup-a-Joe. While mine was brewing I ate two slices of red pepper and turkey bologna. I think my afternoon lull was a bit worse than usual, but we were slow at work so that could have been the <i>real </i>culprit.<br />
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Just prior to heading home I ate a serving of unsweetened applesauce and it was plenty sweet even for a sugar addict like me.<br />
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Since I work on Mondays and Tuesdays my wonderful husband makes dinner those nights. He gets home before me and usually cooks something Mexican. It's all Mexican Monday and Taco Tuesday up in here!<br />
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Tonight he made taco salad and mine consisted of green leaf lettuce, ground beef with homemade taco seasoning, avocado, olives and jalapenos. It wasn't until I was building my salad that I realized I hadn't checked the salsa ingredients. Guess what? It has sugar in it. Surprise! Not.<br />
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Since I couldn't have salsa I may have gone a little overboard on the jalapenos. My mouth was on fire and to put it out I tasted the cashew and almond butters I bought yesterday to replace my legume butter (a.k.a. peanut butter.)<br />
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Once the kids were in bed, weeds pulled and mama showered, I made myself a frozen banana, unsweetened cocoa and almond milk smoothie. It hit the spot and now mama is going to bed.<br />
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My thoughts on the first day are that I felt a little more hungry and tired than usual in the afternoon (when I would normally eat dairy) and I snacked more than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSBQc0sjKRg" target="_blank">Dallas and Melissa Hartwig </a>would approve. I also just finished that smoothie, but they recommend to stop eating a few hours before bed. I'm guessing they don't eat dinner at 5:30.<br />
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What are your thoughts so far?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-90027792486013728922016-06-19T22:15:00.000-05:002016-06-19T22:15:41.355-05:00Whole30Howdy! Thanks for visiting my blog. It's been over three years since I've written here, but these next thirty days are gonna change all that!<div>
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Tomorrow I am starting <a href="http://whole30.com/new/" target="_blank">the Whole30</a>. This is an experiment I have been thinking about and researching for a while.</div>
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It started with seeing #whole30 online, peaked with friends doing it (If everyone jumped off a bridge would you? Apparently I would.), and ended when I finished the book, <a href="http://whole9life.com/itstartswithfood/" target="_blank">It Starts With Food</a>.</div>
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I am intrigued with the health benefits people have experienced from eating only meat, vegetables and fruit. Specifically, I am hoping to reduce my acid reflux, hormonal acne, afternoon lulls, seasonal eczema, hormonal headaches and sugar cravings.</div>
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This weekend I spent the majority of my time planning meals for the week and grocery shopping. I'm not sure how specific I'll get on the blog, mainly because I have no time, but I hope to give you an honest look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of The Whole30 Program.</div>
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Yesterday I went to Kroger to do our normal family grocery shopping and tried to get as much Whole30 compliant food there as possible.</div>
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I left without bacon, breakfast sausage, lunch meat, tuna, canned chicken, coconut aminos (Don't worry, I don't know what those are either and when I initially typed that, I actually typed AMIGOS! Coconut Amigos sounds much better to me!), mayonnaise, and beef broth. All of those items either had sugar or soy in them and those are no-nos on Whole30.</div>
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Today I went to Whole Foods and found a few of those items, but not breakfast sausage, mayo, or beef broth. Thank goodness for Aldi (#amiright?)! There I found Whole30 approved breakfast sausage and beef broth. Looks like I'll be making my own mayo. What?!</div>
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Tonight as I was prepping for this week's breakfast and lunch I finished off the white wine and black bean burgers. Then later I had a snack of extra sharp cheddar cheese and Triscuits. Now I'm thinking about a brownie in a cup and wondering how in the world I'm gonna make it 30 days without added sugar, dairy, grains, and legumes. Oy!</div>
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Hopefully this blog and you, my followers, will hold me accountable. Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and/or give me a hard time for doing this to myself.</div>
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See ya tomorrow!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-29900995234334112942013-02-25T12:37:00.002-06:002013-02-25T13:01:26.051-06:00Jane Alice's Birth Story: Part ThreeTo read Part One, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4279525937601140607#editor/target=post;postID=7700087531971476387" target="_blank">click here</a><br />
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To read Part Two, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4279525937601140607#editor/target=post;postID=1770531676623417007" target="_blank">click here</a></div>
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Ornesha immediately starts yelling at me - BREATHE INNNNN THROUGH YOUR NOSE, OOOUUUTTT THROUGH YOUR MOUTH! INNNNNN THROUGH YOUR NOSE, OOOUUUTTT THROUGH YOUR MOUTH. Surprisingly, I didn't mind her drill sergeant style.<br />
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Despite Angela's calm demeanor and Scott's quiet presence, <i>I </i>felt out of control, and Ornesha's volume and cadence were somehow comforting. I did exactly as she said, because I've always been a people-pleaser, and Angela assured me that we'd gotten the best nurse in the hospital.<br />
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Ornesha said she needed to check to see how far dilated I was. On the hospital bed, on my back. There was only one problem with that, I couldn't lie on my back, or I WOULD DIE!<br />
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The pain and pressure were so intense that the only comfortable position was hands and knees, but again, I am a people-pleaser, and Angela and Ornesha both assured me it would be quick.<br />
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They helped me get on the bed, on my back, and then Ornesha quickly checked. She said I was at a 7 and right then and there I died.<br />
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Not really, but I distinctly remember saying, I CAN'T DO THIS! To which Angela and Ornesha both replied, YES YOU CAN. YOU ARE DOING THIS! YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT NOW.<br />
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They quickly helped me get back on my hands and knees, strip down to my tank top, and resume breathing. Scott assumed his position at my head. Holding my hands and breathing with me. I remember that being so helpful, him breathing with me, and I remember the smell of his breath. It was sweet like the citrus flavored gum he was chewing.<br />
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Angela was busy doing what doulas do and I remember her praising my breathing and wiping my face with a wet cloth. Ornesha continued yelling. The only time in my life that someone yelling at me was welcomed.<br />
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This whole time my bare butt is waving in the air, and you know what? I didn't care. Not one bit. For once in my life I didn't care how my butt looked or who saw it. I was in so much pain and so focused on breathing that nothing else mattered. Not even my butt.<br />
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Before long someone said the doctor was in. I didn't see her because my head was buried in the headboard, but your daddy told me that she stood in the back of the room and watched.<br />
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(Side note: The morning after you were born I noticed a bruise and scab on the bridge of my nose. It wasn't until that afternoon that it dawned on me, it was from having my head pressed into the headboard during labor!)<br />
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A few minutes later I felt the urge to push and my body took over. My exhales became grunts and then I was informed that before I started pushing, the doctor needed to check me.<br />
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I was still on my hands and knees, a position I don't think she's used to because her checking me took a few tries, if you know what I mean. My anatomy was upside down so I got poked in the wrong spot a few times. Fun.<br />
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When she finished, she said I was at a nine and I could push if I wanted to. IF I WANTED TO?! I was <i>so</i> ready to meet you!<br />
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Next contraction, I breathed in and pushed out. Ornesha, still yelling at me, and I mean that in the nicest way possible, told me that if I wanted to get this baby out, I was going to have to breathe in and then push for ten seconds.<br />
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So, as we all know by now, I am very obedient, and I did just as she said. I breathed in and pushed for ten seconds. Next thing I knew, your head was out. I vaguely remember people cheering me on, but honestly, I was so focused on pushing that I don't remember much else.<br />
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I think I had to push once more to get the rest of your body out, but you might have just slid out at that point. I'm not sure. Either way, you were born in just a few pushes, at 11:59 PM, and I have never felt so much relief in my life.<br />
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Some people claim to feel orgasmic as they're pushing their babies out un-medicated. I did not feel that at all, but the cessation of pain combined with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, made for a feeling I don't think could ever be replicated by a drug. Then again, I've never done drugs, so what do I know?!<br />
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Everyone in the room was telling me to turn around to see what I had done, and all I could think was, I DON'T WANNA SEE THE POOP! I DON'T WANNA SEE THE POOP!<br />
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Finally, the doctor passed you up through my legs to my arms and I held your warm, wet body against my chest as I tried to catch my breath.<br />
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You began to cry and everyone helped me turn around to get into a reclining position. They helped me get my tank top off and I held you up to my breast so that you could eat.<br />
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We sat like that until the placenta slid out on it's own and the doctor stitched me up. I had a grade one tear, just like I had with your brother, which I've been told, is not bad. Although, it felt pretty bad to me. I was sore, and for the next two days my <i>only</i> complaint to <i>every</i> person who entered our hospital room was that my butt hurt.<br />
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As I mentioned above, I was very concerned about seeing the poop, but I didn't see any poop. Instead I saw you. Six pounds, 14 and three-quarter ounces. A striking resemblance to your brother. Red hair and all.<br />
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That didn't quench my curiosity, though, so the next morning I asked the nurse if I had pooped during pushing. She smiled and said something like, <i>it was just the size of an almond</i>, as she demonstrated with the tip of her pinkie.<br />
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I'll never think of an almond the same again. And neither will you.<br />
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Jane Alice, your birth was an awesome experience. One I had planned on and prepared for. Although, nothing could have fully prepared me for the miracle it is to give birth. Even a second time. Naturally or otherwise.<br />
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I am so thankful that you came quickly. My labor was only two and a half hours, if that!<br />
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Your birth gives me the confidence that I can do anything. Whenever I feel nervous or anxious, I try to remember how strong I felt during those two and a half hours, and then I press on.<br />
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I wish that confidence and strength for you too. After all, I couldn't have done it without you.<br />
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I love you,<br />
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Mama<br />
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<i>Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, </i></div>
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<i>because her hour has come, </i></div>
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<i>but when she gives birth to the child, </i></div>
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<i>she no longer remembers the anguish because of the </i></div>
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<i>JOY </i></div>
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<i>that a child has been born into the world. </i></div>
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John 16:21</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-45758352161715790762013-02-12T07:54:00.000-06:002013-02-12T07:54:34.457-06:00Monthly Update: 48Dear Foster,<br />
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Last month we celebrated your fourth birthday. And by celebrated, I mean I got the stomach flu and had to miss your party. Then I cried.<br />
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You wanted your party to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house this year. A request with which I did not argue because I am not crazy. No cleaning the house, no decorating, no un-decorating, no cleaning the house. Thank you for being so thoughtful. So prudent. Or maybe, psychic? I mean, I couldn't have done any of those things anyway and we would have had to cancel your party here.<br />
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About a week before your birthday your daddy and I noticed some maturity peeking through. We hadn't seen maturity in, oh, a year? <br />
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Three was awful. Whoever came up with the "terrible twos" obviously had never parented a three year old. Geesh. I even went back and looked at my archives and there aren't many entries from last year. <br />
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You were a turd. The end.<br />
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However, at four, you are all the sudden agreeable and thoughtful. Still silly. Still busy. And, dare I say, pleasant.<br />
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Your school work is phenomenal. To me anyway. You have learned to trace like a champ and even write letters on your own. Your favorite letter is F, of course. And when you see the letter F you immediately tell me, "there's the letter F for my name!"<br />
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Thankfully your self esteem is not a problem and earlier today when you were riding your bike, you were yelling, "I'm out of this world!" A neighbor heard you, began to smile, then said, "Now that's a positive attitude!"<br />
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Yes, your attitude is much more positive now that you're four and I am so thankful for that. There were <i>days </i>last year I didn't think I would survive. Now there are just <i>moments</i>. You can still pitch a fit, but when I discipline you, it actually works. One discipline doesn't lead to another to another. It just works. Sometimes even just the threat.<br />
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Minnie, our oldest cat, died just after Christmas and your reaction was velly intellesting. One minute you were crying and running away from me and the next you were helping your daddy bury her. <br />
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Sometimes you talk about her as if she's still part of the family, which I find endearing so I don't correct you, but other times the memory of her death brings up questions about death and Heaven.<br />
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Having been told that we will get new bodies in Heaven, today you asked if we would have fins. Like fish. Or maybe we'll become mermaids once we're in Heaven.<br />
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Maybe so.<br />
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Your sister is now 8 months old and you are very sweet to her. If she drops a toy, you pick it up. If she's crying and I can't get to her, you distract her. Sometimes you even kiss her for no reason. You don't seem to mind that I have to leave you alone in order to feed and rock her. You have become content to watch a movie with your friends. Your stuffed animal friends. The same friends we had to start confiscating when you refused to poop on the potty.<br />
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One of my biggest fears before Jane Alice was born was that you'd regress in the potty training department, and boy howdy!<br />
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You were completely potty trained just prior to her birth, but once she was born, you stopped pooping on the potty and here we are 8 months later still working on it. Selah. (Like amen at the close of prayer, selah stresses the importance or reality of what was said. Or, as our pastor says, <i>You think about that!</i>)<br />
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Selfishly I miss your baby talk, as you can now make the "th" sound. I preferred sank you over thank you and birsday over birthday and dat over that and bass over bath, but you are four now and your maturity means that when I say I love you, you say you love me more. And sometimes you tell me I look beautiful, like a princess. And often you ask me to keep you company and to get under the covers with you during story time. So I tearfully say goodbye to your baby talk while I joyfully welcome your affection.<br />
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Foster, I love you more than I can say and I'm so proud of the person you're becoming. You are very conscientious about how we treat others and the earth. Very curious about God and His word. Very smart. And very cute. I could go on and on.<br />
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You are my favorite boy.<br />
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xoxo,<br />
<br />
MamaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-17705316766234170072012-12-10T12:01:00.004-06:002012-12-10T12:01:57.987-06:00Jane Alice's Birth Story, Part TwoTo read Part One, <a href="http://www.mommioandretti.blogspot.com/2012/09/jane-alice-birth-story-part-one.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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Once home, your daddy began packing for the hospital and I showered. We were mostly packed already, but there were a few last minute items to pack before the car was loaded.<br />
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The fluid would not stop dripping down my legs as I was toweling off and I was forced to put on a maxi pad for the first time in ten months!<br />
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Once we were both showered and in comfy clothes, we settled on the couch to watch a little Seinfeld - your daddy's favorite television show of all time.<br />
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We were both tired and thought about going to bed, but there was no way I could sleep with the contractions I was having. They were not bad and were not regular, but they were there and Angela told me you would probably come that night. Who could sleep under those circumstances?! I was about to meet my daughter. MY DAUGHTER!<br />
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About 15 minutes into Seinfeld, I felt a third POP!, but this time I swear Scott must have heard it! He didn't hear it, of course, but what he did hear was my gasp and subsequent panic over the amount of fluid gushing out of me!<br />
<br />
I stood up and headed up the stairs to the bathroom when BAM! I was hit with a breathtaking, toe curling contraction.<br />
<br />
With your daddy's help I made it to the bathroom and called Angela. I began explaining what had just happened, but was unable to finish my sentence due to BAM! another contraction. They were coming back to back and the fluid was still gushing so that I could not stay dry.<br />
<br />
Angela was on her way and I spent the next half hour on my knees, face buried in the rocking chair in your room, rocking back and forth through each contraction. Between each contraction I would change into dry clothes.<br />
<br />
At some point I realized that I had chills and wondered if I was already in transition...10 minutes or so after my water broke. Was that even possible?!<br />
<br />
My breathing soon turned to moaning and by the time Angela arrived, it was time to go to the hospital. She came upstairs while I was glued to the rocker and then helped me get to the toilet once again, this time to poop.<br />
<br />
Only, I didn't<i> really</i> have to poop, that was just your head. The pressure down there was unreal and almost as uncomfortable as the contractions. It felt like I needed to poop a bowling ball. Because people poop bowling balls, right? Right.<br />
<br />
Angela helped me get dry clothes on (again!) and this time I put on one of your brother's pull ups, rather than a maxi pad. Don't believe them when they say they're Super Absorbent. They ain't.<br />
<br />
It took for.ev.er. to get to the car. Contraction = drop to my knees + breathe in + mooooaaaaan out. I remember having to stop, drop, and breathe at the bottom of the stairs and then again on the front porch. It was close to 11 PM at this point, so luckily no neighbors saw me.<br />
<br />
Once in the car I sat facing the back of the passenger seat - on my knees, arms and head draped over the head rest. Your daddy said I turned into a black church lady with all my praying out loud for Jesus to come down and rescue me from THE PAIN! I remember praying for Him to help me have you naturally and for the staff of the hospital to help me too. There might have even been a prayer about getting there before you came out!<br />
<br />
Angela and your daddy had previously worked out all the logistics of dropping me off at the Emergency Room and parking, so all I remember is walking in and dropping to my knees. Between contractions Angela helped me shuffle over to the desk to check in, and by check in I mean answer a million ridiculous questions. One of them being, Are you scheduled to be here?<br />
<br />
Um, yeah. DO I LOOK LIKE I'M SCHEDULED TO BE HERE? Give me a break! I'm literally dropping to my knees every minute now and my moaning has morphed into other-worldly, gut wrenching sounds that I had no idea I knew how to make - yeah, I'm here for a scheduled induction. NOT.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, all the patients and their people are staring at me like they've never seen a woman in labor before. (Okay, maybe they <i>had</i> never seen a woman in labor before.)<br />
<br />
Finally a calm, quiet young nurse offers me a wheelchair, which I decline, because OH.MY.GOSH. who could sit with a baby's head THAT low? No thank you. Besides, I needed to be on my knees to survive each contraction and we all know that our butt is not our knees.<br />
<br />
The calm, quite young nurse leads the three of us down the longest hallway of my life and into an elevator. Of course, this adventure took for.ev.er. as well because, you know, I'm dropping to my knees every minute or so.<br />
<br />
Each time I drop, I lean onto the birthing ball and rock while Angela is on her knees, facing me, holding my hands and talking me through the breathing. I think your daddy is behind me with our suitcase, but really, I have no idea.<br />
<br />
The elevator doors finally open, DING! and we bound into the closest hospital room. In that room stands Ornesha (or-nee-sha), or as I like to call her, the answer to all my black church lady prayers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4279525937601140607.post-77000875319714763872012-09-21T07:56:00.000-05:002012-10-28T21:07:28.953-05:00Jane Alice's Birth Story, Part OneDear Jane Alice,<br />
<br />
Welcome to the world. You are my daughter. I am your mother. Here we go!<br />
<br />
I started this blog when your brother was about seven months old as a way to record his childhood and all the hilarity it would entail. I never dreamed I would have YOU and get to record YOUR childhood too.<br />
<br />
I thought my first letter to you should be your birth story. That's right, my dear. This post is not about your big brother and his potty training, or lack thereof, but rather, about the way and the day we first met.<br />
<br />
It all started on Memorial Day, about two weeks before you were born. I just knew you were going to come a little early, like your brother, so every day for those two weeks there was some symptom, some sign - a cramp here, a contraction there - that led me to believe you were coming ANY MINUTE!<br />
<br />
At 40 weeks you still had not come and I just knew you never would. I was going to be pregnant FOREVER. A freak of nature. And, I kept telling myself that it wouldn't be so bad. At least I wasn't nauseous anymore. I could handle this. I was a cute pregnant girl, right? Everyone said it was all in my belly. Imagine how great my hair and nails would look for the rest of my life!<br />
<br />
But then, on Friday, June 8th - three days after my due date - I woke up with a "bloody show". That is, I peed and when I wiped, there was a little pink something.<br />
<br />
Finally! This was the day! It had to be! My mom, your Patty Mama, had bloody shows and then had babies within a few hours. Surely, you'd be here by lunch!<br />
<br />
I called my doula, Angela, to give her this update and told her that I'd probably have you by lunch. She asked a few questions and then gingerly told me to try to keep my daily routine as normal as possible. I was to let her know if anything changed.<br />
<br />
Still thinking I was going to deliver you by lunch, I kept your daddy home from work and sent your brother to Grandma and Grandpa's house.<br />
<br />
To pass the time, your daddy and I decided to run some errands, one of which was to Home Depot.<br />
<br />
When I waddled in, the girl at the entrance asked if I was over due. Weird question, I thought, but I told her yes and that I was actually<i> in</i> labor. Her eyes got as big as saucers, but I reassured her that I was okay - baby wasn't coming 'til lunch!<br />
<br />
I <i>was </i>okay. I was having contractions, but nothing regular and nothing I couldn't breathe through. Even talk through.<br />
<br />
On the way home we stopped at McDonald's. It was their grand opening and I thought maybe the quality of food would get things going in my intestines, thereby inducing labor. I was wrong.<br />
<br />
We got home and napped. Nothing changed so we decided to go for a walk. It was too hot to go for a walk outside, so we went to Opry Mills Mall. I hadn't been since they reopened. They had been closed since the Flood of 2010.<br />
<br />
We walked the mall, but still, nothing changed. Might as well cross the street and walk Opryland Hotel!<br />
<br />
Before leaving the hotel, I stopped to pee. It was a little after 4:00 PM and I didn't want to get stuck in rush hour traffic with a full bladder. We were heading to Grandma and Grandpa's house to eat supper and bring your brother home. Surely, as soon as we got home with him, you'd start coming! I mean, it was after lunch, and that pink something from this morning had lingered all day and was now a red something.<br />
<br />
On my way out of the bathroom, I felt a pop and a trickle. Not sure what it was, I told your daddy and asked if he could see any wetness. Indeed, he could. I couldn't see it because of my big belly, but the front of my pants was a little wet.<br />
<br />
Oh my! I wonder if my water just broke?!<br />
<br />
I went back to the bathroom and tried to figure out if it was amniotic fluid or pee. Maybe I hadn't gotten all the pee out, ya know?<br />
<br />
Everything smelled like pee, so it must have been pee. Oh well.<br />
<br />
We drove to Grandma and Grandpa's house and had dinner with no change. After dinner we sat around talking and as I stood up to check on your brother, another pop and trickle. Uh-oh. This can't be more pee. I better call my doula.<br />
<br />
As I stood on the front porch talking to Angela on the phone, I noticed an increase in pain during contractions and found myself leaning over the railing to get through them. I also kept leaking fluid and by the time we hung up, my pants were soaked.<br />
<br />
Angela explained that your head was very low and was acting as a cork, keeping the fluid from gushing. I could either go to the hospital and be stuck there until you arrived, or I could go home, shower, rest, etc... and expect you to come sometime that night.<br />
<br />
Since I had been planning on and preparing for a natural birth, your daddy and I opted for the latter and left your crying brother with Grandma and Grandpa.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04641370162734917600noreply@blogger.com5