Friday, January 25, 2013

Whole30 Challenge: Day ???

I'm not sure what day I'm on but it's getting close to being over!

Still sticking with the Whole30 Challenge.  I cheated on Tuesday with some white potatoes.  I wasn't feeling well and that was what I wanted (homemade hash browns), and I figured that out of everything I could cheat with, white potatoes were probably the least detrimental.  I may have some tonight too. 

Despite feeling fairly fantastic, I'd been headachey, sniffling, sneezing, and coughing yet again.  Not a cold, but my sinuses.  Yet again.  My regular doc was booked so I saw a guy I hadn't been to before.  Who turned out to be paleo and knew all about Whole30.  He recommended that I not do antibiotics during a Whole30 and instead that we treat this more like a cold.  So I got real sudafed, cough syrup with codeine, and another cough med called Tessalon which would be the coolest sci-fi name.  The idea was to knock back the annoying symptoms so that my body could focus on healing.  And it seems to be working.  This was Tuesday; I took a mental health day on Wednesday, got some extra sleep, and in general just took it easy with both mind and body.  By yesterday I was feeling tremendously better.  The annoying little wheeze in my lungs is gone, my sniffles are nearly gone, and I'm not sneezing. 

I did find out that they weren't kidding about not taking the cough meds and driving.  I only took Tessalon because when I was home doing nothing it didn't seem to affect me that much.  Halfway to work yesterday I realized I was seriously loopy.  Oopsie!

I'm really looking forward to a weekend where there's nothing I need to do.  Sounds like a good time to curl up on the couch with a blankie, some kittehs, and the remote.

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Whole30 Challenge: Day 11

Hello, and welcome to Day 11.  Which maybe you are thinking should be Day 10, based on my last post.  Seems I can't count.

And since it's also Thursday, you know what that means...

1.  Day 11 and still on the Whole30.  My mouth seems to be a bit bored beverage-wise.  I got some new tea, didn't help.  Right now I'm sipping cranberry juice with club soda.  Better.

2.  Yesterday morning I juiced two limes, added EVOO, minced garlic, and powdered ginger and poured that over chicken thighs.  Yesterday evening I doused them liberally with Penzey's Sunny Paris seasonings and grilled them.  Yum!  I love chicken thighs.  They could've used a bit of salt though...

3.  I swear, if I hear one more congressman (male or female, "congresspersons" is awkward) demonstrate how they fundamentally do not understand the debt ceiling, I will scream.  You would think that of all Americans that congressmen would not need a lesson in Civics 101.  You would be frustratingly mistaken. 

4.  To make myself feel better, I watched the "Shutdown" episode of The West Wing last night.  Did you know it's streaming on Netflix now?  I'm so excited to re-watch the series.  We need more TV like that.

5.  I had planned to watch this season's The Biggest Loser, but five minutes was all I could take.  It used to be inspiring.  Now it's screaming and vomit.  And I've listened to several of Jillian's podcasts during the off season (while they were filming) and I get where they are all coming from.  But I really do not want to watch it.

6.  I'm also going to scream if I hear one more person imply or just outright say that any law involving the Second Amendment is unconstitutional.  There are already lots of gun laws.  No constitutional right is absolute, without limits.  That is the very antithesis of society, meaning that there are circumstances under which the good of the many will outweigh the rights of the individual.  The classic you can't yell fire in a crowded theatre limitation on freedom of speech is one.   By the way, explain to me how requiring background checks on purchasing guns in the future will affect the guns that you have now.  Are these people planning to buy future arsenals?

7.  And let me just add that executive orders are a valid exercise of constitutional power.  It cracks me up that when someone says that they are not almost always follow it up with something along the lines of laws must come from congress because we elected congress and only they represent the people.  Did you not notice the VOTE FOR PRESIDENT HERE part on your ballot?  Something like 100,000 people elected the Speaker of the House.  55% of the entire country elected the President.  Are they not teaching math in schools anymore?

8.  Okay, I'm done.  Wow, I haven't used my political science degree this much in years.  It's fun in that stick a screwdriver in my ear kind of way.

9.  I had more but I decided to delete it. 

10.  I am eating an awful lot of chicken sausage on this diet.  I don't have a problem with that.  Should I have a problem with that? 

11.  I need a minion. 

12.  Somehow "kweneng, botswana" ended up in my Google search bar.  I didn't search for those.  But "Botswana" is really fun to say.  Botswana!

13.  Admirable that he got himself out of debt but the guy is kind of an asshat

Happy Thursday!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Monday, January 14, 2013

Whole30 Challenge: Day 8

Hello, and welcome to Day 8.

Did you think I had jumped ship on this whole challenge?  I didn't!  But there were some rough days last week and I just did not have the energy to write.

I last wrote on Wednesday (Day 3) and was feeling pretty good.  Thursday, though, was awful:  persistent nausea, dizziness, body aches, confusion, headache, and -- to cap it all off -- cramps in my arms, hands, and legs.  Self-diagnosis:  my blood sugar and electrolytes were in a tizzy.  I ate some dried cherries and cranberries to get me through to the end of the work day then went home and drank orange juice (no sugar added) and had two sweet potatoes with my dinner.  I also popped a couple of the Hammer Endurolyte electrolyte tabs, which had something like rice flour in it but dammit at that point I didn't care because my hand was cramping into this weird claw and clearly Gatorade was out (plus I didn't have any anyways).  I felt a lot better on Friday but took it easy through Saturday, making sure to get plenty of water and high carb vegetables and fruit. 

Coincidentally, Wednesday was the date I'd had blood drawn for my annual checkup.  And wouldn't you know it:  blood sugar up to 135, from last year's number of around 105.  Sodium and chloride were low.  So, blood sugar and electrolytes all out of whack like I thought.  I had my checkup today with the doctor and she took more blood to do two more blood sugar tests to see if it was an anomaly or, you know, diabetes.  Provide that these tests don't show something even worse, I get re-checked in three months.  She approved of the diet change, but emphasized making sure I got plenty of carbs. 

Anyhow, I'm trying to have a high carb vegetable with every meal.  I made this breakfast dish that is diced apples (six) with a can of pumpkin and a can of coconut milk and some cinnamon and nutmeg.  Throw in a crockpot on high for about three hours until the apples are tender.  It looks like toxic baby poo but it tastes pretty good, particularly with a chicken apple sausage on the side.  My lunch had mushrooms in it as well as a side of sweet potato.  For dinner I plan either a salad or broccoli. 

My friend S was up visiting for the weekend, and with her I made my first trip ever to Ikea.  That is quite the store.  I see why they have a restaurant in the middle of it.  Unfortunately, we couldn't find anything Whole30 compliant to eat there.   Next time, I'm bringing snacks.  I also learned that Beaverton has a Penzey spice store.  If you have one of these in your area and you've never been, go!  It was fun getting to sniff all of the spice mixes they have.  My favorite -- that was sugar free -- was their Sunny Paris blend.  The Singapore one was nummy too, I need to go back to buy it.  And once I can have sugar again, I'm going back for a lot of their other spice blends.  An absolutely amazing store, and considering the strength of their spices the prices are really reasonable.  In other words, you don't need to use a lot compared to the big commercially produced stuff. 

Well, that was my weekend and then some.  Sad the Seahawks won't be in the Super Bowl this year.  I was in the office for a few hours yesterday and my boss was watching the game in his, he called me in to watch the last few minutes.  So close!  Oh well, I don't really watch the Super Bowl for the game anyways.  And I'll still be on Whole30 that weekend so I can't have nachos or crab dip either.  Wow, nachos suddenly sound SO GOOD. 

But nowhere near as awesome as this lukewarm black tea without sugar I am having. 

Why yes, that is sarcasm.  How very nice of you to notice. 

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Whole30 Challenge - Day 3

Hello, and welcome to Day 3.

I am still on track, both in my eating and my feeling.  Well into the hangover period, although it's not too bad.  Had enough of a headache this morning to send me to the Whole30 forums to confirm that Tylenol was okay to take.  Answer:  Acetaminophen and aspirin, yes.  NSAIDS like ibuprofen, no.  Still feeling tired but it's still more of a mentally tired rather than physical.  I went to bed past 11 last night, which I almost never do on a weeknight, and woke up naturally right around 7:00 a.m., all ready to go (except for the headache). 

Oh, and guess what?  I?  Can freaking BREATHE now.  Almost like a normal person.  Yesterday evening I suddenly noticed that I wasn't sniffling and my headache didn't feel all swollen like an overfilled water balloon.  For me, particularly in light of the past year, this is AMAZING.  I started getting sniffly this afternoon after being in a warehouse full of -- get this -- wheat flour.  Among other things.  I had been telling my client about doing Whole30 and we were joking about how there was maybe one thing (like macadami nuts) that I could eat right now in this entire huge warehouse, and I started to snorfle.  Still feeling a bit wheezy two hours later.  It wasn't like the flour was just lying around either, it was all bagged up on pallets and such.  But a similar reaction to one I had a few weeks ago in a building that makes closet doors; all the sawdust was bagged up and they had excellent ventilation but after just a few minutes I was snuffly and wheezing.  Very weird.

By the way, I had NO inclination to have bread while we were there, even in the test kitchen which had some nice looking loaves of cinnamon swirl bread.  Never really all that in to bread. 

I'm fully expecting to dream about condiments soon, though.  Teriyaki, ketchup, cocktail sauce, ranch dressing, bleu cheese dressing, honey mustard.....   In other words, sugar!

I've got to make another trip to the grocery store tonight.  This is getting to be even too much grocery shopping for me!  But I need to find more quick items to get me through to the weekend.  At which time I need to figure out exactly what my tastebuds are telling me I want -- other than sugar -- to make that.  So far, haven't been wholly excited by the new meals I've put together.  I need to rectify that. 

How are your new year goals progressing? 

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Whole30 Challenge: Day 2

Hello, and welcome to Day 2.

This timeline advises on what to expect during the Whole30.  I'm right on track:  I have a lack of energy and a low level headache.  And I seem to be developing an oral fixation and an obsession with sugar.  So that's fun. 

The oral thing, I don't know why but I want to chew gum or a mint.  And I rarely chew gum.  I think it's the lack of satisfaction with what I am drinking.  Namely, no soda.  I usually have no problem drinking gallons of water, but on top of tea with no sugar it's just not getting the job done. 

Getting caffeine into my system has been easier than I had hoped.  I knew I could drink green tea with no sweetener but I was happy to learn today that I can also drink black tea.  Right now I am drinking Mandarin Orange Spice black tea -- no caffeine, I know, but I am hopeful that the scent will trick my mouth into happiness without sugar.

It's weird to be obsessing on sugar.  Before this I would have said -- and I have said here -- that I don't eat much sugar.  I was thinking the obvious forms of it:  actual sugar plus desserts.  The kind that run up to you and show you their sugar knickers.  Now I'm realizing that I was consuming a lot of sugar in other ways, primarily in condiments.  Like ketchup.  What I wouldn't have given for cocktail sauce this morning with my jumbo shrimp (my favorite oxymoron, second only to "military intelligence"). 

Speaking of seafood, have you ever tried to find pickles made without sugar?  Nearly impossible.  I think it is impossible if you want sweet or bread 'n butter pickles (which I do).  After much label reading at New Seasons last night I finally found dill pickles made without sugar.  Haven't tried them yet, but they are slated to go into some homemade tartar sauce.  I found the Cuisinart food processor I've been dreaming of at the outlet stores at the beach, about $50 less than regular price.  I haven't busted it out of the box yet but I will soon.

Last night I did more grocery shopping which took forever -- reading labels is time consuming! -- so I was gnawing at my own arm by the time I was heading home, I was so hungry.  And you know where you can stop to pick up a bite to eat on Whole30?  Nowhere!  I ended up creating a concoction of sea scallops and mushrooms sauteed in ghee, garlic, and proscuitto.  The mushroom nectar nicely deglazed the pan to make this utterly delectable sauce.  Typically it would have been something that would have been for two nights' dinner, served with a salad and other sides, but I ate the whole damn thing in one sitting.  So very yummy!  I'd post a picture but Blogger is being bitchy and won't let me. 

The ghee was a surprise.  I think I could've eaten it straight out of the jar with a spoon.  I foresee going through a few jars of that in the next 30 days. 

Tonight I have my first hot stone massage and I am looking forward to it.  I had a helluva time opening a jar of minced garlic a couple of days ago and managed to strain my shoulder as a consequence.  It figures.

Tune in again Thursday when I will want to KILL ALL THE THINGS.

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Monday, January 7, 2013

Whole30 Challenge: Day 1

Hello, and welcome to Day 1.

Day 1 is pretty easy.  It hasn't sunk in to my little kitty brain that there will be NO soda for the next 30 days.  Or soy sauce.  Or sugar.  Funny, I didn't think I ate a lot of sugar because I rarely eat candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, etc., or really drink alcohol anymore.  But today what keeps popping in my head is stuff like ketchup and teriyaki sauce -- all usually chock full of HFCS.

The Whole30 folks warn that your bad times in starting the Whole30 will be proportionate to the amount of crap you were eating before you started Whole30.  They specifically mention that this is particularly difficult for the diet soda people.  I am very happy that I had mostly converted from diet soda to regular soda, and in fact to soda with real sugar rather than HFCS.  (That's High Fructose Corn Syrup, BTW.)  I'd been finding it harder and harder to drink non-diet soda.  It was really sweet and I was satisfied by just a few sips of it.  My expectation was that it would be the mental aspect of a cold soda first thing in the morning that I would have issues with.  Kind of like how a long time smoker automatically reaches for that first cigarette upon waking, without even thinking about it.  I didn't have the morning urge today, but after I finished lunch I almost got up to go grab a soda, then I remembered. 

Mind you, I'm not completely off caffeine.  I'm not insane.  I've had two cups of green tea by lunch time. 

Speaking of lunch, I made up a batch of Rogan Josh which I got from the Well-Fed cookbook.  Usually it is made with lamb and yogurt; the Whole30 version is with coconut milk, and I did beef because the store I shopped at last night didn't have the cut of lamb I needed for this.  The first few bites I was ambivalent about it because I could immediately taste the cinnamon and cayenne.  Luckily both of those tastes faded from prevalence and it turned out to be pretty good.  If I make it again, though, I won't do the cinnamon.  I think there were cloves in there too, not a big fan of that flavor with meat either. 

Similar issue with the Scotch Eggs I made for breakfast.  Really, where can you object to a hard boiled egg wrapped in ground pork?  I did have a few teeny objections though....  One of the spices for the meat is nutmeg, that was too prevalent for my tastes and I'll omit that next time.  Also think that my taste buds were expecting more of an italian sausage kind of an experience.  I'd go more that way next time.  Plus wrap them in bacon. 

Because really, where can you object to a hard boiled egg wrapped in ground pork wrapped in bacon? 

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl