Happy Friday, all! What’s shaking?

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So, what’s shaking?  The same old thing here, but with a little more happy.

If it seems like I’m extra happy right now it’s because I am.  I went to physical therapy as usual on Wednesday and was released as a pt client.  That means I’ve improved enough that I can start the work on my own.  While I plan to stay on as a wellness client (to use that fab Endless Pool), I’m also going to slowly get back to my old activity level.  Part of my ramped up activity includes more low impact bodywork, including PiYo.

piyo 3 day

I’m sure you’ve heard of PiYo by now because it’s the newest Beachbody release from Chalene Johnson – love her!  It’s a home version of the PiYo classes offered in clubs all over the place.  I need low impact workouts like Pilates and yoga so that I don’t hurt myself or slow my recovery.    As much as I love 21-Day Fix, even the modified movements are too much for me right now.  I’ll go back to it when I get the all-clear to do so.

There’s no shame in admitting that you need a change and moving on.  Never feel ashamed or let anyone tell you that you’re lazy because you recognize your limits and are working around them .  Do not ignore them for the sake of proving you’re not lazy.  It’s better to work harder and smarter than to go all out when you’re body is unable.   Trust me, I fell into that trap and did much more harm than good.  

Now back to my regularly scheduled message. 

PiYo has a six days on, one off weekly schedule.  Because I’m going to listen to my body, my plan is to start with three days of PiYo with one day of aquatic therapy each week.  I’ll train for a day and take the following day off.  On my rest days, I’ll still get in my usual five to ten minutes of gentle yoga and walking.   My eating plan will stay about the same for now with one exception.   Gluten has to go, doc’s orders.

So that’s what I’m up to.  If you want to know more about PiYo, my eating plan (regular and cheat day), or how I modify fitness and eating plans to suit my needs, give me a shout.   I’m on Facebook and all over social media.  Just look for Sherrie Thompson or WAHMinSC.  I’d love to hear from you.

 

 

Vegan Kickstart 2013

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Yep, it’s that time again.  New year, new start and all the jazz.I’m doing another PCRM Vegan Kickstart this year but this one will be a little different.  I’m doing it gluten-free. 

The kickstart focuses on a low-fat, high nutrient plant-based plan.  It’s easy to go vegan while enjoying snack foods and fattier fare, but it’s not the healthiest way to do it.  You can trust me on that.  Unlike past years, the kickstart is ongoing,  A new group starts on the first of each month. I like this change.  If you join late you can always jump in from the start the following month and go from there. 

Check out the Vegan Kickstart on Facebook and main site for ideas on making it easier and to see what others are doing.  To see what I’m doing, check out my Independent Team Beachbody Facebook page, Vegetarian Examiner page, or Tweet with me.  I’ll share recipes, menus, and my exercise plan for the day. 

So, are you in?  Other plans? 

Until next time, peace. 

Strategic Shopping

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Salvatore Vuono photo.

I am a  huge fan of strategic shopping.  I wasn’t always.  Wandering the aisles aimlessly and grabbing whatever looked good was the old plan.  It explains why I have tons of condiments in the fridge and pantry.  Returning to school, buying a house, rising gas prices, and growing kiddos forced me to re-evaluate and put spending in check.

But the budget does not keep me or the family from eating well.  Coupons, store specials, menu planning, and a stocked pantry make all the difference.  When I shop for produce, I check for sales, but make sure I wander around for goodies.  It’s the only section I wander aimlessly in anymore.

We hit Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or Earth Fare for my hippie stuff I can’t get in the standard grocer.  Vegan chorizo, coconut milk or almond yogurt, and an assortment of gluten-free baked goods are what I look for.

Big box stores may be the bane of some shoppers, but they are awesome for my budget.  Bulk almond butter, agave nectar (if on the list), and organic produce are ready and waiting at killer prices.  Thank you, Costco!  Ethnic markets are good for the budget, too, but I have to admit I haven’t visited one in a while.  I have to see if I can score gluten-free soy and hoisin sauces.  (I cannot believe how much i miss hoisin sauce! Okonomiyaki is just not the same without it.)  

How do you shop?

And on that note, I need to get to making my shopping list.  Off to check Southern Savers for this week’s coupon match ups!  Peace, all.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Raw Goodness

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Oh man has it been a while.  I’ll cover where I’ve been in another post since today is about less words and more pics.  So here’s one pic of my fab lunch and (hopefully) tomorrow’s breakfast if hubs doesn’t love it):

It’s is the Save the Tuna Salad from KrisCarr.com.  It’s nummy!  It’s my first seed and nut-based tuna salad and I think I have a new favorite.  Of course I had to add more pickles and celery than the recipe calls for, but that’s just how I roll.  And since gluten is a no-no, I had it over romaine with tomatoes from the garden and cukes.  Want some?  I might share, but it would be better if you just made your own.  Cuz that’s how I roll when I’m sleep-deprived and sore.

So much for semi-wordless, eh?  Jeez.

Peace, all.

Semi-Wordless Wednesday – Jackfruit!

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Kai4104 photo.

I love jackfruit!  I wasn’t sure I would, but it is perfect!  Soy-free, gluten-free, and budget-friendly goodness just ready to absorb whatever seasonings my heart and tummy crave.  Jackfruit carnitas have been the biggest hit overall, but jackfruit and black bean enchiladas work, too.  

Get to an Asian market and pick up a can or two of young jackfruit in brine.  Drain, rinse, season, and cook.  Dump it in a crockpot with onions and your favorite barbecue sauce.  Want to cook it on the stove?  Saute the jackfruit and onions, then simmer in sauce on low-medium heat.  Serve it with slaw, beans, and cornbread or a bun.  35 minutes from can to table if you have sauce on hand.

Have you tried jackfruit yet?  What did you think?

Overfed and Undernouished

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Part vent, part epiphany.  Oh, and a request for a swat on my hand or bottom if you see me slipping into destructive behavior.

Yep, that’s been my way of eating for years now.  On and off that is.  First it was about money and later about convenience.  When I focused on speed or cost more than getting what my body needed, I ate too much to help quench my hunger without giving my body the nutrition it needed.  And I gained.  A lot.

The various eating plans and diets I’ve tried over the past 15-20 years have taught me what works for me and what doesn’t.  I know meat doesn’t work for me.  I hate the thought of it and hate how it makes me feel more.  I love carby, yeasty, and wheaty goodness, but it does not like me at all.  And cheese used to be my beloved, but alas it broke my heart.

What does work for me is produce and lots of it.  Produce and protein.  It’s simple, right?  I mean, beans, greens, fruit, and nuts.  Why does this scare me so much?  Why do I fall back on goodies and are so bad for me?  I know what I have to look forward to when I deviate (and I’m feeling some of that right now), so why torture myself?

Well, partly because I’m feeling lazy.  I’m fighting off something nasty (chest colds, woohoo – not) and want to reach for my old favorite comfort foods.  So I did.  Two sandwiches and two days and I feel horrendous. On top of the elephant sitting on my chest, I have blocked sinus and a migraine.  Were those grilled cheese sammys worth this?  Today, nope, but at the time, yes.  I know better, dammit!

I also torture myself because part of me feels like I’ll spend too much money on food.  This is a dumb one I’ve debunked several times.  It’s cheaper overall when I eat what’s good for me because the ingredients are cheaper (and better) than the packaged versions of kinda food-like substances.  What I feel guilty about is the amount of Gardein and Boca I snagged before going gluten-free. Hubs said he’d happily eat them, and I know he will.  I just feel bad about how much I spent.  I can’t get it back, so I need to let it go.

I promised an epiphany, didn’t I?  Well, I realized I know what works.  Instead of searching for a new answer, I need to get back to basics.  Shopping in season and preparing good food.  That’s it.  Summertime harvests make a huge difference for me.  I love the colors and selection of produce this time of year.  Focus on that, throw in some nuts, seeds, and other forms of protein, and I’m golden.  Avoid gluten and dairy and the headaches and joint pain will ease to manageable levels – if I hurt at all.  Keep sugar intake down (especially easy with all the berries and melon around) and I’ll feel even better.

Wow, I’m chatty today, headache and all.

If you see me out and about, say hi.  And if I need a gentle swat on the hand or bottom, please remind me that I asked for them.

And speaking of bottoms, mine is still getting firmer and higher.  Yeah, baby!  The scale is holding firm, but the body is firming up.  I’ll take that as a win.  

Peace, all.

Food, glorious gluten-free food! Thank you, Patat Spot!

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Gluten-free isn’t as difficult as I thought it might be when dining out in Charleston.

Patat Spot is one of my favorite places in town.  It’s not just about the food, but the staff, decor, and falafel.  Okay, the food is one of the main reasons I love it.  I was concerned I’d have to forgo the pita with my falafel or black bean cakes, but I don’t.  GF pitas are available and the black bean cakes and falafel are both GF. It works.  It works very well.

Sorry for the dark pic – my phone’s camera is not the best sometimes.

Last trip was the first time we took the kiddos with us, and they were smitten.  Teen Girl does not always love new experiences, but she was willing to give it a go.   She ordered the Frikendel Especial, a veggie dog served with diced onions and Patat’s fantastic curry catsup.  She thought it was pretty good.  If you’ve met her, ‘pretty good’ is her second most enthusiastic rating.  The top rating of ‘awesome’ only applies to electronics and anime.

Teen Boy snagged the Beef Shawarma and inhaled it before I could get a shot of it.  No joke.  He ate like he was starving (which he could have been because he’s always hungry) and praised the flavor between bites.

Hubs went for the Regular Falafel (two patties in pita with all the toppings you want from the toppings bar) and I had the Salad Spot (two falafel or black bean cakes served on a bed of greens and anything I wanted from the toppings bar).  Of course, we all made our meals combos with drinks and friet.  We all left satisfied (well, closer to happily stuffed) and smiling.  Oh, and the falafel can be grilled or deep fried.  Either way, the meals are healthy and filling.

Now that school’s out we plan to go more often, with or without the kids. Swing by Patat Spot at 41B George Street and enjoy some GF comfort food.  Yes, I consider falafel comfort food.  Sue me.

Until next time, peace.

I hate doctors. My former doc in particular.

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Nice hibachi dinner at Sake House.  Skipping the soy and other sauces
helps keep it gf, but does not guarantee there won’t be cross-contamination.

I’ve been holding back on this post for a while because I’ve been angry. No, not just angry, but dead on pissed off, ready to kick down doors and punch holes in walls. Why? Because for years I’ve been hurting and was told my two docs that I’m just fat and/or not trying hard enough. But something was very wrong and they blew me off because I was overweight. That is unacceptable.

Yes, I was (and still am) heavy, but that is not a sign of laziness or lack of trying to be healthier. I’ve tried on my own and with medical professionals to find out what could be causing some of the problems. My last doc sent me for GI films (and oh man is the Barium smoothie horrendous) and blood tests (twice without telling me to fast first) and prescribed meds left and right. When I told her I was at loss because my weight was not changing and I felt horrid (and still dealing with chronic pain), she said I needed to suck it up a work harder and that I must not be honest about what and how much I was eating. I was counting points and measuring everything. I worked out at Curves, and she said ‘only chubs go there. You need to find a real gym and really work.’ I felt stuck. I had to see a doc for help, but she wasn’t helping me. She was mocking me and blowing off my concerns because I weighed too much. I left that day and did not go back.

The past few months have been particularly bad. My migraine had gotten out of control and the scale refused to budge. My body hurt all over and my stomach was bloated and ached constantly. I had no energy and had trouble sleeping. Just fracking miserable. Veggie eating was not helping me and I kept my calories and fat in check. Nothing seemed to be working. I wanted to crawl into bed and stay there.

I broke down and called a naturopath. She told me to cut gluten because it seemed to her I might have gluten sensitivities. So I started cutting. I didn’t go completely gluten-free, but stated feeling better. I had more energy and a lot less tummy distress. And it seem to be shrinking. The scale still didn’t move, but my clothes were getting looser. Two weeks ago I went completely gf, no cheating. I had multigrain gf bread, muffins, and fantastic vegan and gf cookies from Little Whitney’s Cookies. My energy level skyrocketed, I had no headache all week (for the first time in years), no stomach issues. I ate really well and did not exercise because of a sore ankle. I switched my usual whole wheat flour and pasta for gf options and made no other changes. And I lost 8 pounds and did not have joint pain. My blood pressure was the lowest it had been in years with meds. And I cried. Then I got angry. I’ve been suffering for years and my doctors did not help me. They made me feel like a failure instead of helping me. They had me return often for drugs and abuse.

I’m getting angry all over again. Gah.

As soon as I said screw docs, I’ll do this on my own, I felt a little better. I called a naturopath when what I did stopped working, and she helped me more after one consultation that my former docs did in 8 years. The moral of the story? Trust your gut! You know when something is off, so do not let the doc tell you it’s nothing. Do some research (real research, not fly-by-night stuff), talk to people dealing with whatever you’re dealing with, and go from there.

And once you cut gluten, do not follow my example and allow a cheat day. One meal off track and I’ve been feeling it for days.   Next time I crave a Bloody Mary, I’ll make it at home with Grey Goose and the mixers from scratch.  Owww.