Local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

I'm so excited! We joined our local farm co-op! We get a share each Monday til October. The first pick-up was yesterday. We got arugula, salad mix (like spring/mesclun mix), spinach, mint, and chives. The first pick ups are light, getting heavier as the season progresses. Everything is locally grown and organic. We pick up at the farm, which is about 4 miles away. We are so lucky to have this near us. The fun part is getting veggies you may not be familiar with and finding recipes to make out of it. Like the arugula. We don't really eat that too much, but I've already found a few recipes to try.
As far as CR goes, I've been off the wagon since Saturday due to the holidays. I've got to learn how to work my CR in to gatherings without seeming like I'm being fussy or weird. I've gained 5 pounds. I really have to get myself under control. I'm starting fresh today, I've already put my food for the day into the CRONometer, and will be sticking to it, come hell or high water. Or doughnuts....hehe.
My foot is mostly all better, so I'm going to start my workouts again. I'm planning on the doing the Wii Active. Someone commented about the Active pack, asking if it was the same as the Fit. It's not the same. We have the Fit, which is a game and a balance board pack, and the Active is separate, with a game and a leg strap and resistance band. You don't need the balance board to do the active, but it is balance board compatible. Meaning, you can use the board, but you don't have to have it. I use it, might as well, we paid enough for it:)
Oh, I saw a really good documentary about aspartame. It was called Sweet Misery. If you have Netflix and can watch movies instantly on your computer, it's on the instant watch list. It freaked me out. I know that these kinds of tales have two sides, but I agree with the movie. It's some freaky bad shit. I won't feed it to my kids, and I won't eat it anymore. We also avoid MSG now. Not that we ate a lot of it to begin with, but whenever we order chinese take out, which isn't often, it's got loads of it. Did you know that MSG is also in my favorite splurge food, Doritos??? Yeah, I remember being heartbroken when I was pregnant cuz I couldn't eat my Doritos:( Waaaaahhh.
Well, that's it. Newfound resolve (again), no aspartame, and buckets of fresh organic produce!!!!

Wii Active

I went and bought the Wii Active pack yesterday. It's a Wii game, a special legstrap, and a resistance band. I really liked it. Unfortunately, I'm out of the race today. I've been ordered by DH to stay off my foot. It felt worse after working out yesterday. The game is neat. You make your own profile and customize the looks, weight, height, age and stuff. Then you can do a workout with specific goals like burning a certain amount of calories, or a certain time, or cardio or strength. There's also the 30 day challenge, which is what I went for. It trains you everyday, includes rest days, and trains different parts so you don't strain any one body part. You strap this leg strap to your right thigh, then put one part of the two-part controller in the pocket on the strap. Then you can do all sorts of things, like boxing, inline skating, and traditional calisthenics like squats and lunges and bicep curls with the band.
I think exercise is the missing piece for me. Any time I've ever lost weight doing any sort of diet, it only starts kicking in once I'm doing moderate exercise. So I'm back on track. I wish my foot was though. I'm sticking to 1500 calories a day, but struggling with food at night, AGAIN. I'm eating fruit, which is probably the lesser of all evils I could be eating, but still. I scarfed down some pineapple and cantaloupe at about 2 am last night. I think it's cuz I don't sleep well. And since I'm up and awake, I feel hunger. If I was asleep I'd bypass the hunger til morning. At least, that's my theory. I'm going to try the valerian root I bought about a month ago but never took. I just forget to take it.
So I'm trying to follow the food combining rules. We had burgers and cucumber salad for dinner last night, and I skipped a bun for my burger. Just protein and veggies. It was tough though:) I love me some juicy burgers on a bun. Who doesn't??? Ok, don't answer that. I'm aware that there's people out there who don't do meat. Fine by me, leaves more for me:) I actually only eat meat at dinner, and we usually do meatless days once or twice a week. Beans or pasta.
It's so nice here finally. The sun is shining and it's nice and warm, but not too warm. I don't do well in the humid heat of the northwest in summer. This time is nice for me.

Juice Feast is soooo over

I ended my juice fast after day two. I had that barbecue to go to on Sunday, and I was craving some solids. I did enjoy it a lot though, and I think next month I will try to go more than 2 days, maybe (crossing my fingers) dare I say....7 days???
I am still doing mostly raw, and staying at 1500 calories, of course except for yesterday. I pigged out on burgers and dogs and chips. Oh well, life is for living, and I was just coming off the juice fast. Bad combination! But I had a great time, I caught up with friends I haven't seen for a long time. My family has sort of been off the radar the last year or so due to my son's complications from prematurity. We kinda fell off the face of the planet for a while. Now that my son is doing so well we are starting to catch back up with all our friends. It's really nice. It was our friend's son's second birthday. We were actually due with our babies about a week apart, but my son came in January, he couldn't wait til May! The conversation was all about my son for a while, which was weird since it was this other baby's birthday party. He really is a miracle.
I've discovered a new juice combo that I'm in love with. I love borscht and have tried a few raw versions, but this juice really tastes like the borscht I'm used to. I juice beets with the greens, celery, romaine, an apple or two, and then stir in some lemon juice. It's delish. My husband is half Polish and half Russian, so we know borscht, and this is the closest to the cooked version I've come across. Now if I could just have raw gawumpki (sp?) and raw pierogies:) Hmmmmm.....
I started exercising again today. I hit the treadmill, or did the treadmill hit me? I could only do a mile. I have had this pain in my arch and my heel for a week or so now, and it was uncomfortable after a while on the treadmill. I think I need to rest it by just putting my feet up and staying off it, but I'm stubborn and don't sit much during the day. If it continues, I guess I'll have to go see my doctor, but I'm hoping resting it will help. I'm planning on doing weights tomorrow, which shouldn't hurt the foot too much. Just the rest of me will be hurting:)

Day Two

I must say I feel better today than yesterday. The energy doesn't have that edginess to it, and I'm not hungry a lot. When I do feel hunger, a big glass of juice satisfies it. I went shopping today and got another pineapple, some pears, red cabbage, celery, apples, oranges, cantaloupe, beets, and cucumbers. The beets with the greens have a very earthy flavor that needs something. I don't know whether to go sweeten it up a bit, or to do the garlic savory thing.
I just had some spinach/pear/apple juice and it was too sweet, needs something, maybe less fruit and more greens, maybe some cucumber or celery to lighten it up.
I had to order my bridesmaid dress for my sister's September wedding, and I had to get measured today. Ugh. I was shocked by my waist size. Let's just say I'm not in the 3os anymore:( It was disgusting. I had to call in the measurements, and they added 50 bucks to the price of the dress because I was a size 22, and the plus sizes cost more. I'm the maid of honor, and I am hoping to lose a little weight before then. I don't need it to be drastic, but I want to be well on my way! Oh well, if I'm a cow, I'm a cute sassy cow:)

Juice Feast Day 1

I'm feeling good, a little edgy. Can't explain it. Maybe it's just more energy that I'll have to channel productively. I feel like I should be doing something.....weird.
I've had about 5 glasses of juice. I can't say how many ounces cuz I didn't count. I also didn't keep track of the combinations. I can say I've had beets, romaine, ginger,kale, cabbage, carrots, apples, pineapple, and lemons. Not all at once, but that's the veggies and fruit I've juiced today.
I'm already dreading feeding my toddler and DH. I want some solid, hot food. I am thinking of ways to distract myself, and I think I'll keep sewing today. I'm working on a shell, in a brown w/ cream flower knit. What the heck is a 'shell' anyways??? I think it looks like a sleeveless tee shirt really.
Tomorrow I think I'll hit the produce aisle in the grocery store for some more stuff. I have enough for another day, but I want some different combos. I'm out of beets and they were really good. I didn't care for the taste of the cabbage all that much, but I'm sure it would be good in a different combination than what I tried. I feel lighter. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and continuing the experiment. I do have a problem though. We were invited to a friend's house for a barbecue, and I don't want to have to sit and explain what I'm doing. People will think I'm weird (which I guess I am, but not because I do juice feasting!). Any suggestions on how to handle this? Or should I just break my feast on Sunday? I really wanted to go for more days though....help!

Inspired

I'm feeling ready to try a juice fast, or "feast". I'm thinking I'll try as many days as I can handle, maybe 7? I've been reading about so many successes and different combinations of juices, that it's inspiring me to try it as a sort of detox for spring. In my list of 20 things to do this year that I posted earlier, I wrote that a detox each season was a goal of mine. Well, I haven't done a detox yet for spring, so here goes nothing! I will start tomorrow. I have lots of fruits and veggies on hand for a few days. I will definitely post updates each day, so you all can see what the effects are. At least the effects on me. The hardest part I think will be making a nice cooked dinner for my family and then sitting down with them with my large glass of juice. It just seems weird.
I wanted to share something else. My youngest has had this weird rash on his cheeks forever. It's called petechia, and he even saw a hematologist for it, and they came up with nothing. It's not excema, it's not any kind of disease or disorder, it was just a mystery. Well, I didn't even notice this for a while, but it hit me one day that it's disappeared! Completely gone. And this rash would always get way worse whenever he cried, and he had had several crying fits and it never came back. My DH seems to think it's the green smoothies. It's the only thing new that's been introduced. I'm not so sure, but it kinda makes sense. Must be some enzymes in the raw spinach and fruits. My skin has improved, so why not his, huh? Weird and wonderful.
It's almost 1 here and I just now finished my breakfast banana basil smoothie. I will have a big glass of juice (romaine, kale, apple, lemon, and ginger) for lunch, and dinner is grilled chicken breast and corn. I haven't thought about snacks yet, but I'm probably going to have another smoothie of some sort or juice.
I looked on a calorie calculator online, and it said I should be having 1532 calories a day for fat loss. So that's my goal. I know in previous posts I stated that I was going to try 1400, but I never got there. I stayed at 1600. So I'm going to go for 1500 and see what happens.
Well, it's gorgeous here today and I'm going to repot my herbs and maybe plant some forget-me-nots in my flower box on my front stoop that I have yet to use. The DH made it for me, then we were too scared to actually put the herbs in there because we thought critters might eat them. The garden may or may not be a success. DH thinks the watermelon and cucumbers might make it, but the tomatoes are looking really sad and pathetic. He's mentioned that if they don't improve by this weekend, he'll hit the Home Depot and pick up some tomato plants and try that out.
Here's to happiness and health everyone! Let's do this!

Pissy

So I'm all ticked off cuz I typed out this long entry then hit some stupid button on my keyboard and POOF! it was gone. This was yesterday. So on with a new entry....
I discovered a delicious shake thanks to The Raw Epicurean. A banana basil smoothie. Omg, it is sooo delicious. I'm not even that big of a banana or basil fan, but whirl 'em together with some water and agave syrup, and boy what a combo. I put it in the fridge for about an hour to chill.
I'm still doing the raw thing during the day. I'm at 1600 calories a day and still not losing, so I'm going to drop to 1400 and see where that leads me. I've seen so many various levels, I guess it's a very personal thing. Some girls are at 1200 and some are enjoying 2000. I still have to consider my medications and thyroid problem. That, and obesity runs in my family. What a lovely mixture of variables, huh?
The sprouts are going in to the garden this weekend. Everything but the chives has sprouted. Two types of tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, parsley, basil, and cilantro. I can't wait til harvest time! I'm an immediate gratification type girl, so everything in the middle is kinda boring to me. I'm sure the kids will get a kick out of it though.
I'm feeling all crafty lately. I'm working on embellishing some tank tops, and I just finished sewing a tunic top. I am going to start a maxi dress today. I have the pattern, I just need to pick a fabric...
I just got a new tattoo and it's all healed up now. I'm craving another one already. I just love body art. It's a large blue star with a trail of gradually smaller stars of various colors trailing down the center of my back, starting with the big blue star right on the back of my neck. I'll just post a pic. It's better than explaining it. Forgive my flabby back:) I'm working on it!
I registered for the fall semester. I'm taking a speech class (scaaaaary), yoga, and nutrition and human performance. I'm really looking forward to yoga on Saturday mornings.
I just ordered a new raw food cookbook. I know I said I'd review the two I already have, but I don't feel ready yet. I need to try more recipes. I also ordered the first of the Sookie Stackhouse vampire books that the show True Blood is based on, and.....wait for it....Twilight. Yes, I'm actually going to succumb to the teen hysteria. I guess it's nostalgic for me, because I remember reading the Anne Rice vampire books when I was in high school. I was so deep and brooding and alienated....lol.
Watched The Kite Runner last night. I actually read that book and it was awesome. The movie was good, although of course never as good as the book, right?
Ok, that's about all I'm up to lately. Happy Friday everyone, and here's to nutrition!

Good weekend:) Yay!

I suffered no setbacks this weekend! Well, I shouldn't say 'suffered', like it's something I have no control over, I should say, 'hey, I didn't screw up'. The DH, baby, and I even went out on Sunday to pick up some cds at Best Buy, then on to the bookstore for some raw food un-cookbooks (DH says how can they be called cookbooks when you are not really cooking anything??). Well, we ended up being too eager for a Sunday, and showed up about 20 minutes too early. There was a bagel store inside this particular strip mall, and we came 'this close' to going and getting bagels while we waited for the store to open. But there was a grocery store there too, so I remembered that I need a few things and just went in there for quick stop. So not only did I avert disaster nutritionally, but I actually picked up some fresh produce and vitamins for my 6 yr old.
Now I'm actually going to work out for the first time in about 2 months. Just walking. I told DH I want money for a new gym membership for Mother's Day. I have a treadmill in the garage, and weights and a bench, and various dvds, but I enjoy classes and find I work harder in a group setting. Maybe cuz I am not just answering to myself, but have this evil instructor there watching me. And this particular instructor is very evil:) I know her outside of the gym, so I am allowed to say that!
I think I haven't lost any weight due to not exercising. For me personally, the weight has always come off only when I exercise. The diet's important, but the exercise seems to be the key for me. I think once I get that ball rolling, the weight will start moving. Now I really have goals due to the fitness specialist program. I want to be ripped so I get lots of clients!
I got two new cookbooks at Borders. I will be back to review them in the next post. So far they look pretty good, and you don't even need that darn dehydrator for most of them! I want a dehydrator, but that's only if I end up committing to the raw food plan. It's not a necessity.
Happy Monday all!

So far, so good

This weekend is going to be a victory I tell you! I even passed up Doritos on sale at my grocery store....Doritos are my favorite junk food. I walked right past them to get to the good stuff. The kale, lettuce, lemons by the bag, apples, watermelon, avocados, and bananas. The good stuff:) I had green juice for breakfast, some guacamole salad and homemade tomato soup for lunch, and dinner will be whole grain pasta with meat sauce. No garlic bread, no parmesan cheese on top. And of course my snacks will be more green juice and a green smoothie.
I got a letter letting me know that I didn't get in to nursing school. SO...I went and applied for the fitness specialist program. This will let me be a personal trainer or instructor, and if I want to go further, even sports medicine or athletics. This is a good choice for me. I like sharing my knowledge and helping people. Now I definitely have to lose this weight, or I won't have any clients! No one wants to go to a tubby trainer, lol. I was very devastated at not getting in to the nursing program, but I decided to roll with the punches and whip up a Plan B. The first course in the fitness program is a nutrition and sports performance class. I'm very interested to see what they tell me. I'm not exactly coming at it without any knowledge of nutrition. I see some spirited debates happening.
Well, good luck for the weekend, everyone!