Challenge: And We're Off....

Today I begin my 6-week Challenge. I haven't gone grocery shopping yet, so I'll be rummaging through my pantry, freezer and refrigerator for breakfast and lunch. I have options that are safe, so I should be fine until dinner. After I publish this post, I'll finalize my meal plan for the week, do a last look at the grocery list, and then head out to conquer the grocery store. The hardest part of today is going to be getting in the 84-100 ounces of water, as I haven't been getting in enough water daily. So, for the next few days I'll feel as if I need to be hooked up to an IV and catheter.

I am really excited to start back on my program. Yesterday, as with the past few months, I ate whatever I wanted. I didn't go overboard, as I usually do when I'm about to start a new diet or program, nor did I stuff myself to exploding. But when I got home from spending the day in Helen, Dahlonega, and Marietta with my best friend, I felt like I had a stomach bug. During the night, it felt as if someone was stabbing knives into my side and stomach, where at one point I couldn't even move from the pain. Thankfully, this morning the pain and nausea is gone, but I feel like I'm suffering from a food hangover - sluggish, exhausted like I didn't get any sleep, dehydrated, headache just below the surface trying to break through, body achy and stuffy - basically, the way I feel everyday.

Starting Stats.... Yes, as much I can't believe I am about to post these numbers, I'm more appalled that these numbers are real. But by documenting this journey, maybe I can stay on plan through and past this challenge. So here goes everything I can put into this....

Height: 5 foot, 1/2 inch (yes, I count this half-inch)
Starting Weight: 214.5
BMI: 41.9 (ouch!!!)
Pants Size: 18-22
Shirt Size: XL, 1X or 14-16

And with that embarrassing, reality hitting declaration....Here's to becoming a Healthier, Stronger, Skinnier version of my current self.

6-Week Challenge

To recommit, I am starting a 6-Week Challenge. This challenge is something I've created for myself for the sole purpose of becoming healthy once again, and hopefully to achieve my ultimate goal of becoming pregnant (after 8 years of trying).

Challenge will begin on: Sunday, February 21
Challenge will end on: Sunday, April 3 (Easter)

Here are my GOALS for the next 6 weeks:

1. Kick my dependence and cravings for the offending foods - anything containing gluten, casein, and soy.
2. Lose 18 pounds - which is approximately 3 pounds per week
3. Incorporate exercise into my life once again - being able to workout 5-6 days a week

Here are the CHALLENGE RULES for the next 6 week:

1. No Gluten
2. No Soy
3. No Casein
4. No Caffeine after Week 1 - gradually reduce
   
5. Drink 84-100 ounces of water per day
6. Limit of 5 meals a week that contain "safe" grains, rice, starches and beans (i.e. gluten free oatmeal, desserts)
7. Take a prenatal vitamin daily that is also GFCFSF (gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free)
   
8. Exercise 4 times a week, plus one day of pilates/yoga/ballet-type workout to stretch muscles
9. Must post in blog at least every other day to keep self accountable
   
10. Must weigh-in on blog 1 time per week (can't weigh in more than once a week)

You are welcome to join in at any time and feel free to post your results in the comments.

Here's to becoming a Healthier, Stronger, Skinnier version of myself (basically rediscovering who I used to be).

A yo-yo I will no longer be...

Almost 2 years ago I went on a mission to determine the root cause of my PCOS, headaches, psoriasis and eczema that had popped up on my face after a mild sunburn, fatigue, mental fogginess, mood swings, inability to lose weight easily (gained 20lbs in a 2 month boot camp with nutritionist support), multiple sinus / bronchial / viral infections, and constant injuries (7 broken bones in a 10 year period).

Fortunately for me, I found my answer within 6 months - an article on PCOS indicated that an OB/GYN did research on her PCOS patients and found that 80% of them had either an allergy or intolerance to gluten. Doing more research, I discovered there are multiple scientific studies trying to prove this link. So I took this information to my fertility specialist, my primary, and my ob/gyn and they all agreed I exhibited the symptoms of food intolerance - especially considering I could bring on my cycle within a 2-week period just by completely eliminating dairy from my diet (previously, I would go 3-4 months between cycles to then have a prescription for progesterone).

After being tested, I was diagnosed with Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance, as well as intolerances to casein (protein found in bovine milk) and soy. You would have thought this is what I needed to change my life... Well, almost! In the past 18 months since being diagnosed I have done more yo-yo dieting than I have my entire life. I'll eliminate the offending foods for a month (no more) and something will happen where I'll fall off... and I'll fall off hard.

But things have to change! In the past 10 months I have... had several sinus / bronchial infections, H1N1, a level 1 sprained ankle that took over six months to heal, and have started to lose hope and faith that being a mom is in my future.

This brings me to this week. I have made alot of decisions, written down goals for myself, and decided to turn this adventure into a challenge - since I can't continue to go through the emotional ups and downs of trying to conceive and have a family, I am setting a time line. If I can not get pregnant by the age of 37 (which will be in 18 months) through aggressive changes to my diet (to account for my food intolerance) and fitness routine; and with the help of my doctors, then I will be content with that fact that having biological children are not in my and my husband's future.

So... as the title of this post states: "A yo-yo I will no longer be". I am beginning my journey with 100% commitment, heart, faith, hope, and a full belief in God that I will become a strong and healthy Mom!

To be continued... 6-week Challenge

Cooking Classes and Birthdays....

I can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since I started my plan. I'm sure I've unintentionally ingested the offending ingredients of gluten, casein, and soy; but all in all, I think it's been an extremely successful adventure.

Restaurants... I'm becoming much more vocal when I dine at restaurants. I always ask to speak with the manager, explaining my "special" interest to the waiter. On the instance I didn't talk with the manager, I was sick for two days. It's amazing that my symptoms when I eat an offending ingredient are worse now then they were when I was eating them daily - but then again, I was talking daily doses of advil, and almost daily doses of tums and pepto chews, so I guess I was in denial of those symptoms. I have become over concerned with cross contamination, so eating out is a rare treat. Although I really don't consider it treats anymore. They've become more of a necessity when I do eat out - dinner with friends, birthday celebrations, lunch with co-workers so they don't think I'm ditching them.

Cooking Class... A few weekends ago, David and I attended a gluten, casein, soy, peanut, and shellfish/fish cooking class. It was hosted by Sally from Aprovechar and Moore Farms & Friends. We both thoroughly enjoyed it!! They started our class off by serving us breadsticks, followed with a Slow Cooker BBQ Beef (with pasture-raised beef), Mac 'n "cheese", coleslaw (minus mayonnaise), sandwich bread. The night was topped off with a Fruit Gelette. Everything was fabulous. We recreated most of the menu items this past weekend and are now enjoying leftovers (yum).

The cooking class reinvigorated my love of cooking great food. Unfortunately, I can't cook things "from scratch", but I recipes I follow turn out amazing (or so I think), so that's a start. I hope the ability to rearrange recipes and make things "from scratch" will follow with practice. Either way, cooking has become my replacement to eating out. It's been wonderful to know that what I'm eating is completely safe, and therefore comes with no additional worries about whether I'm going to have a stomachache, or have a bad headache or mood swing the next day.

Celebrations.... Yesterday was my 35th birthday (shh! don't tell anyone I'm over 21). I celebrated with my family at Joe's Crab Shack. As always, I asked to talk to the manager, assuring the waiter it wasn't that I didn't trust him, it was because I needed to make sure the manager followed my order through the kitchen. So it was a great relief when the manager on duty happened to be a manager I had worked with several times before when dining at this restaurant. Having 10 people in our party, I was a little more anxious this time, but when she walked up, I felt much better. After a wonderful Steam Pot dinner (steamed crab with corn and potatoes), we all indulged our chocolate addictions by eating the Chocolate (safe mind you) Cake my husband made for me. Ahhh... heaven!

These past 3 weeks have gone by fast. But I finally feel as if I have control over my food situation and not the other way around. I have lost 7 pounds, my face is clearing up, I don't have daily headaches, my brain-fog isn't as bad (although it's still there), I have more energy (at night more than in the morning), and I more importantly, I'm starting to feel like my old self. Now to start tackling my ankle injury with the same focus and start exercising (again). This is my year... 35 IS going to be my best year yet!! So here it goes....

Day 5 and Counting....

After months of denial and self destruction, I finally decided to stop making excuses and get back on plan. So last Wednesday night I had my last "non-safe" meal and haven't looked back. But unlike past resolutions to start my plan - it didn't come from a "last night" binge, or with lots of fanfare. It came in quietly - with me deciding as I was at Whole Foods, that this was it. That it was time. Time for me to finally make the changes and start taking back control. And this time, things feel completely different! They feel right... I don't have any fears or anxiety about situations. Yes, I have to make sure that I'm prepared, and I will have a few slips here and there, but I'm not overwhelmed like I've been in the past. However, detoxing from the "evil" food (as I like to refer to them) was not as pleasant as my decision...

Day 1 was about as bad as it could get. I won't lie. By mid afternoon, I had a vicious headache, one that forced me to leave the office at 3:30. By the time I got home, it had only gotten worse. I was in bed by 8, and woke up with a migraine a few hours later. I'm not sure how much good sleep I got, but I think around midnight, my headache had dulled enough for me to fall asleep.

Day 2 started off with a headache, thankfully not as bad as Day 1, but by the afternoon had started to go away. This of course was replaced by mood swings (David is a Saint for putting up with these). David and I met with a mortgage consultant, and afterwards had planned on going shopping - however, neither of us had discussed dinner plans - which for someone who can't eat Gluten, Soy, Casein and Yeast - is a bad thing. Finally, after getting frustrated (me) I just decided the best thing was to be home (of course, since this was a mood swing moment, it wasn't as sweet and nice as I write here). After continuing my temper tantrum, I had dinner... and it was off to an early bedtime - 9:30 this night.

Day 3 was supposed to be a productive day of house cleaning. However, after being a slug for most of the day, I finally decided we needed to get out of the house to improve our day, and to do damage repair from my tantrums the night before. So at 4:30, we both got dressed and headed to Perrywinkles to look at some potential birthday presents for me (Staxx rings - they rock!) and to look at some new houses (in case the one we're looking at falls through). Then we had a great dinner at Five Guys (sans bun or cheese - the management even cleaned the grill before they cooked my hamburger so there wouldn't be any cross contamination... cool, huh!?).

Day 4... With the harder of the days behind me, I woke up to great expectations for what I wanted to accomplish. My plan to clean house all day backfired, again, because of my slug mood, however, around dinner (which was a late 9:15 safe-pancake dinner) something came over me... By the time I had gone to bed, all the dishes had been washed / sink scrubbed... I had created my Control Journal (see FlyLady.net)... and I was looking forward to the week ahead. The biggest change today though, was the sense of calm that had finally settled around 10. This calm that there wasn't going to be other trials or tribulations to start my program. That this was the time that it was going to work.

And that brings us to today... Day 5. I have been more productive today than I've been in quite some time (actually since last December when I kicked the "evil" foods the first time). I washed and dried a load of towels while getting dressed. I finished an audit that I have been working on at work (half-heartedly) for the past 6 weeks, and I am looking forward to my next project assignment. As for my mood... I feel happy, energized, and excited! I feel like I'm rediscovering my old self - so much so that I'm going to an DZ Alumni Open House tonight!

Yep... Things are different this time! And I'm can't wait to enjoy the ride...