Nutrition Follow-Up No. 1

Today was my first follow-up with Eastside Tony, the dietitian at the gym.  I had sent ET my food log the night before of the first five days incorporating what I learned.  I did pretty good, I must say.  I am down 3.8 pounds since Sunday by cutting the foods that I tested sensitive for.

While I'm not perfect, I am definitely on my way and my plan is do-able.  I swear that Food Sensitivity Test is probably the smartest move I've made in getting over this plateau.

I don't see ET again until the 21st, so we've decided to carb cycle.  I've heard about it and read about it, but I have to admit I'm very curious to see how this will work for me.    That's pretty much all I'll say since I am paying good money for this and the plan ET and I have worked out is what is best for my situation.  I will keep my readers updated on my progress though.

I'm pretty glad that ET was happy with my cooperation and changes this week.  It really wasn't that hard, I just have to meal plan and grocery shop smarter.

Food Sensitivity Test Results

In an effort to get to the bottom of my plateau, I decided to take the Food Sensitivity Test that Lifetime sells.  It is newly revised and now tests for 96 different foods.  It is a blood test that you have to go to a LabCorp location to take.  It is not a fasting test, so you are encouraged to eat a light meal before your blood is drawn.

I went on Friday, July 18th.  It was fairly quick.  I went to the Farmington Road at Plymouth Road location.   I took my test kit and clearly they've been doing a ton of those tests there because they were pros in the procedure for this test.

I received my CBC results the next morning, which I didn't really understand the results.  I got the Food Sensitivity results on Friday, July 25th and immediately emailed Tony, the Dietitian to set up a time for my results.  The results were this afternoon.  I was so excited.

Of the 96 foods tested, I showed a sensitivity to 25!!!!  Yeah, 25!!!

The Class 3 "Severe Sensitivity" foods were Peanuts and Cottage Cheese. .

The Class 2 "Moderate Sensitivity"  foods were Corn, Cow Milk, Coconut, Almond.

The Class 1 "Mild Sensitivity" foods were Barley, Rye, Orange, Mustard, Safflower, Lemon, Cabbage, Watermelon, Celery, Carrot, Black Tea, Cashew, Chili Pepper, Wheat, Oat, Gluten, Malt, Asparagus, and Clam.

So, now for the next three months, I am going to avoid these foods.   Then Tony will help me slowly reintroduce them in.

Apparently, this test has been flying off the shelf at Lifetime and people who implement the results are having tremendous results.  Everyone in my Tuesday Pilates class has now taken the test.

I've decided to add Tony to my little fitness army (along with Sarah and Cassie).   I am going to meet with him twice a month to get the diet under control and just work on everything nutrition wise.

I'm super glad I took this test.  I find the results to be completely fascinating.  I KNEW I would be sensitive to peanuts.  I had already told my friend Brittany that I would give her my PB2 if I did indeed come up sensitive to peanuts.  I packed up my PB2 and gave it to her the day I got my results.  I had one last peanut butter bar from my favorite bakery that day to say a fond farewell to peanuts and I thought I was going to die.  My tummy hurt so bad.

I will be saving money on almond and coconut milk since I'll now be putting water in my shakes.

So, I can't wait to see the results and then get retested in a few months.  I have a feeling peanuts will be out of my diet for a long while.

Changing It Up

While I was at work today I started thinking about my diet.  It hasn't been the greatest since my meltdown.  Surprisingly, the scale has remained virtually the same.  But I still need to get back on track and get some control.  I start every day with the best of intentions, but somehow and some way I get off track.  I'm not completely off track like back when I started over a year ago, I've just lost a little bit of focus.  I want to the exercise and diet to go hand and hand again and somehow get out of this six month plateau.

It was my idea to decide to replace two meal (breakfast and lunch) with a Fast Fuel shake.  I ran it past Sarah and she liked the idea.  I'm not sure how long I'm going to do this.  I've thought 30 days, I've thought until I lose 20 pounds.  We shall see.  And I may take it down to just one shake a day along the way.  I'm using this as a way to get on track.

I stopped at the LifeCafe before Pilates and bought my Fast Fuel (chocolate).  I'm starting tomorrow!

The Mother Of All Cheat Days

Fridays are historically my cheat day.  I don't pack a lunch,  I dine out for dinner,  and I don't exercise.  It's my day to let loose, sort of and within some boundaries.  Mainly I just allow more gluten, carbs, and calories than a normal day.  It keeps me sane.

This past Friday was an epic saga of over-consumption and over-indulgence, and I love it!   It was an all-around blast.  One of those days you remember for years.

Friday was a gorgeous day in Detroit.  The sun was shining, it was just hot enough.  Perfection.

For lunch, I went out to lunch with my friends Sharon and Cynthia.  We walked to Greektown and ate at Pizza Papolis.  I ordered the pizza/salad lunch combo.  I chose the spinach pizza and the garden salad with ranch dressing.  I ate every single bite, I left nothing uneaten.  It was delicious!

Sharon and I at Pizza Papolis   June 6, 2014

I spent the afternoon at work because I was going to attend the evening's Detroit Tigers game with my friend Brittany and her cousin Tarra.  I haven't been to a Tigers game since the Tigers-Yankees playoff series in 2006.  So embarrassing considering I work across the street from the ballpark.  

Brittany and I met up just after 5.  The area around the ballpark was busy with game attendees and the Jehovah's Witness conference concluding next door at Ford Field.  It was crazy busy with car traffic and pedestrian traffic.

We started by heading to Bagger Dave's for dinner and a beer.  I ordered the Bacon BBQ Burger (AMAZING!!!!), Brittany ordered a chicken sandwich, and we both drank a Mount Pleasant Train Wreck (or as I like to call it The Brittany).  Then we went next door to The Well and we each had a Miller Lite.

By the time we finished our beers it was time to head back towards the ballpark and meet up with Tarra.  We stopped at Elwood's and had another beer.

Me and Brittany at Elwood's  June 6, 2014  Detroit, MI

Once we met up with Tarra, we went into the park.  We took the steps.....millions of steps up to our seats.   I was a little out of breath, but I was pretty happy to get up them.  A year ago, I would have probably suffered some chest pains.  Our first trip was to a lounge to get some complimentary CMU t-shirts.  I got a Large, and it fit!!!!!

Then it was time to go to our seats and watch the game!

Detroit Tigers v. Boston Red Sox  June 6, 2014  Comerica Park Detroit, MI

Seriously, how beautiful does Detroit look in this picture?  It was a gorgeous evening.  Super lucky.

The game was great.  The Tigers won.  During the game I had three more beers and split a daiquiri.  There were fireworks after the game and then I went home.

My previous blog entry was all about how I was pop and fast food free for a year.  On my way home, I stopped at White Castle, my favorite fast food place.  I ordered a two double cheeseburger and fries combo....with a bottled water.  I went home, sat on my couch, and loved every single bite of my White Castle.  It was happiness in a white and blue bag.  White Castle truly is the food of royalty.

Now, you might be asking why I am blogging about all this alcohol I drank and all the crappy food I had.  Because I am human and in the wise words of my dearest Jackie, "Sometimes you have to live a little."  I don't consider myself a drinker because I only have the occasional glass of wine, but sometimes you just have to have a wild night with your friends and it's okay.  This is real life.  You can indulge, you can go crazy.

I did do a lot of walking and step climbing during the day.  According to my Galaxy S5, I got over 10,000 steps for the day and that's only the times that I had my phone with me.    I laughed with the girls so much that my abs hurt.

One of the things I was happiest about was how roomy my seat at Comerica was.  I had no issue fitting into it.  I was comfy and I was excited about that.

I am writing this blog entry two days after the fact and I have gotten back on track with my eating and exercising.  I had my day of fun, booze, and junk food.  Now, it's back to business and that's really what it's all about.  I am at a place where one day doesn't derail the train and doesn't send me into a tailspin.  This is what doing this "the old-fashioned way" is all about.  You learn, you make mistakes, you have fun, YOU LIVE!

Back to the grind.

One Year Pop and Fast Food Free

Tuesday, June 4 marked one year of me being pop and fast food free!!!  I started this when I began D.Tox in 2013 and it stuck!  I really had no expectation of never having pop or fast food again, I honestly don't know how that happened.  I've gone months without having pop before, but never this long.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  Coca-Cola was my heroin.

Being Coke free was tough in the beginning.  I would pass a vending machine anywhere or a mini cooler at the checkout line at the grocery store and look at the pop and drool.  I really missed Coke.  I missed Coke so much that I was dreaming about it.  In my dreams though I was disappointed in myself for caving in to the temptation.

I may not have mentioned it in this blog, but Coke was the ONLY thing I drank.  Coke bloated me, made me gain weight, and whenever I would wake up I was always thirsty.  Thirst is a HUGE red flag for diabetes.  What would I do to remedy my thirsty feeling?  Drink more Coke, of course.

Since I've done away with Coke, I'm less bloated, my glucose readings are better, and my kidneys don't hurt anymore.  I do have to say that my body really wasn't loving the Coke at the end.  It wasn't as refreshing to me as it used to be.  I think I was almost just drinking it out of habit and addiction.

I would say that by the end of Summer 2013, the temptation was over.  That being said, I avoid going to movie theaters like the plaque because other than peanut butter and chocolate, buttered movie popcorn and a large pop is the best food combination ever.

By comparison, being fast food free was relatively easy.  I have gone to the local McDonald's when I visit my mom to get a large unsweetened ice tea and on Valentine's Day, I went with friends and got an ice cream cone.  But other than that, I have not gotten anything from the standard menu of burgers and fries.

I did a blog post in January about fast food temptation and you can read it here.

Now, there are some food chains that I do patronize, but I do not consider to be typical fast food chains.  I go to Panera regularly and I usually stick to a breakfast souffle or the Greek Salad and Creamy Tomato Soup (minus croutons).  I absolutely love Chipotle and I am so thankful that I don't live that close to one.  I order my burrito bowls with brown rice, steak, grilled veggies, hot salsa, mild salsa, black beans, and guacamole.

I also occasionally go to Five Guys.  I've probably gone there 5 times in a year.  Plus they don't have a drive thru, so that doesn't count.  LOL  I avoid the french fries even though they taste like heaven.  I get the little hamburger (no cheese).   Some of the condiments that I enjoy are grilled mushrooms, A1 sauce, mustard, raw onion, and ketchup.   What I like about Five Guys is that you can make your burger as healthy or unhealthy as you want and the meat tastes and feels like meat.  I swear the meat at McDonald's makes a weird tearing noise when you bite it.

Anyone who is considering giving up pop, I recommend switching to iced tea, which is what I did.  Unfortunately, I still used artificial sweetener in my iced tea, but since this last turn at D.tox I have gone completely sugar/sweetener free in my iced tea.  I was actually getting the same blah over it feeling with the artificial sweetener that I had when I gave up pop.

Maybe next year, I can do a post about being artificial sweetener free!

One Week Post D.Tox

This has been the best week in my life because the rollercoaster of emotions, aches and pains, and sugar withdrawal was over.

I woke up on Sunday and drove like a bat out of Hell to my favorite Coney Island (Leo's on Eight Mile @ Farmington) for breakfast.  I ordered a ham and cheese omelet, with potatoes, and sliced tomatoes.  I washed it down with iced tea (unsweetened).  I only had a few bites of the potatoes (too dry), but I ate all of my tomatoes and a good chunk of the omelet until it became too hammy.

I didn't go too crazy with eating.  I did want to maintain and continue my weight loss.  I didn't want to completely negate my progress.

In terms of exercise, I worked out four days this week.  I worked out with Sarah on Monday and Wednesday and you can read about it here.  On Sunday, I took Martina's Hot Vinyasa Flow class and sweat buckets.  I was sweating from every single pore.  I think I lost 10 pounds in just sweat.  On Thursday, I took my beloved Jumpboard Pilates class and it was Cassie's first day back from her honeymoon.  Now that her wedding is over and she's back from her honeymoon maybe she can concentrate on me full time.

Martina complimented my skin and thought I had gotten a facial.  Cassie noticed that my chins were smaller.  Apparently the effects of D.Tox that I didn't notice was my amazingly smooth and clean skin.  I mean I did notice that I was looking cuter than usual, but I had no idea it was because of D.Tox!

On Saturday morning, I went and had Sarah do a post-D.Tox Health Score.  My previous health score from April was a 68.  It is now a 76.  It probably would have been higher, but my glucose reading was high (106).  It was the exact same as in April, but I had an alcoholic drink the night before and that is probably why it was high Saturday morning.  I'll take more about that a little later in this post.

Everything was great.  The numbers were pretty much the same as they were in April.  My body fat was slightly higher, and my lean body mass was a little lower.  So, Sarah and I have decided to add some BCAAs into my supplement list.  Bonus for me:  Sarah surprised me Sunday by buying me some of the Thorne BCAA, so I'll keep you posted on my progress with that.

So, more about my food intake this week.  I definitely am going to watch my carbs because I don't react well to carbs at all.  Everything was cool until Friday.  I went to Mexican Town to have lunch with my friend Brittany.  I got the two cheese enchilada lunch special that came with rice and beans.  I also had some chips and salsa before my enchiladas came out.  My body reacted fine.

Friday evening I was going to go show shopping with my girlfriends.  The time switched from 6 to 7 and I hadn't eaten since lunch.  I decided to go eat at Leo's (seriously, I love this place) and had a bacon cheeseburger with onions, and a side of fries.  YUMMY!  I didn't eat as much as I did before D.Tox.  Before D.Tox, I would have cleaned my plate.  This time, I ate 3/4 of the burger and only half of the fries.  

I drove straight to DSW to meet the girls and my pancreas was in pain from the carbs.  Wow, carbs and I have to set some limitations.

After much success in getting some new summer shoes, the girls and I headed to California Pizza Kitchen.  We each ordered the same alcoholic beverage.  What did it for us was that George Clooney's Casamigos Tequila was in this drink.  SOLD!!!  It was a fabulous drink and I will get it again when I go to CPK.

I ordered just a side salad with ranch dressing.  It was great and refreshing, and a pretty good choice.   My friend Maddie is gluten intolerant and so she ordered a gluten free Margherita pizza.  She couldn't finish it, so she gave me two pieces.  It was so yummy and hit the spot.  My tummy was fine obviously since there was no gluten.

Saturday, I went to a graduation/going away party and I grazed all day.  It was at my friend Jackie's home and so there were a lot of  healthy options.  Her kale salad is amazing.  I was there from noon to 7:30, so I ate lunch and dinner there/  The weather was perfect and so was the food.

So, my first week post-D.Tox was a success.  I did deviate from the script, but that's life.  Life is meant to be enjoyed.  You splurge and get over it.   We're all human.  That's why I am doing this uncut.

D.Tox - Day 13

Total D. Tox Weight Loss:  9 pounds

Day 13.  Unlucky 13.  Meh.

forget shoes, this is how I talk to a plate of chicken wings.

Yeah, I couldn't take it anymore.  I know I only had about 32 hours left, but I needed FOOD!!  It was the beginning of a long holiday weekend (the unofficial start of summer), I had a long work week, I needed a reward.  I still had my afternoon shake left to consume, but I said Fuck It, I want chicken wings.  

Judge me all you want.  I don't give a damn.  I didn't regret those wings for one millisecond.  I'm sure anyone walking past my apartment thought I was having sex because I was moaning and wailing while I was eating these wings.  They were phenomenal.  

I took today as a rest day.  I usually take Fridays as a rest day.  Pilates, Weight Training, Pilates is a trifecta of pain.  I need a day off after three days of that.

I spent my Friday evening watching TV, relaxing, and sucking wing sauce out from under my finger nails.

ONE. DAY. LEFT!!!!

D.Tox - Day 6

D.Tox Day 5 Weight Loss:  1.2 pounds
D.Tox Total Weight Loss:     8.2 pounds

Just cruising along

Things continue to get better on D.tox.  Sleeping like a baby, exercising, eating, hydrating, sweating.

For the first time during this D.tox, I ate food made by others.  For lunch I split a fatoosh salad with grill chicken with my court officer at work.  My work family decided to order out since it was Friday.  We all love Mediterranean food and it is relative healthy.  I could have eaten the entire salad, it was so yummy.  I did eat the tiny pieces of pita that were in the salad but I was careful to serve myself the least amount as possible.  I had a spoonful of hummus just for taste.  I was good and gave the pita bread that came with my salad to my court officer even though it killed me to do so.  I love pita bread.  

I have to tell you that I had a little boo boo with my afternoon shake.  All week I've been leaving work before it is time for my afternoon shake, so I've left my Monday afternoon shake in the refrigerator in my chambers.  I worked a full day today and went to have that shake for my pm shake and it was awful.  I think the coconut milk went bad or something.  I'm not sure why since the fridge seems to keep food very well.  Weird.  So I thought I would pass it on that the shakes might not have as long of a shelf life.  (I make mine in batches of 3 at a time).

For dinner I went to visit my friend Jackie.  Jackie has lost over 125 pounds and I plan on having her guest post on my blog in the near future.  I knew eating dinner with her would be healthy and within my D.Tox limitations.  I strongly suggest surrounding yourself with positive influences during D.Tox.  There are a lot of haters out there who don't understand the process or think it is too restrictive.  Stay away from those people if possible.

So for dinner I had some mujadra (again a Mediterranean dish), ginger soup, and grilled veggies.  The ginger soup was something Jackie got from The Wooden Spoon, a restaurant/market in Brighton that caters to using local ingredients and it's pretty healthy too.  Lunch is reasonably priced, dinner can be a little pricey.

In terms of exercise, I took today as a rest day.  I did go shopping with Jackie so I did quite a few steps in.  

Overall, things are definitely on an upswing.  

Sweet Baby Jesus

I was craving a turkey burger.  I Googled "turkey burger".  I picked this recipe.   Goodness gracious, they were so yummy.  

It was seriously this good......