Gluten Free plus workout realizations!

My symptoms have started to return.  I'm tired all the time, I'm foggy brained, can't focus, lack energy.  I was feeling good there for awhile.  Dr. Iris told me a couple of years ago to go gluten free for 30 days to see if it would alleviate these symptoms.  I didn't do it because I didn't know how and to be honest, it seemed like too much work.  I've taken a few tests on various gluten free sites and they all tell me I seem to have a sensitivity to it.  I can have a blood test done but gluten is in more than just wheat products.  It's in rye and barley, etc.  When buying other grains like quinoa, I have to ensure they are certified gluten free because they can be contaminated if processed near gluten.  I found out that if I go entirely gluten free, I will need separate everything.  Cooking utensils, toaster, etc.  It reduces the contamination from gluten products.  It takes a teeny amount to make the symptoms return.  Although I have no plans to buy a whole new kitchen at this point, I will start slowly.  I bought a gluten free cookbook that has many of my favorite meals in it.  I look forward to trying some out!  Especially the lasagna!  :)  I need to prepare a list of the basic essentials I need in the kitchen and start there.  Any gluten free stuff in the fridge, freezer or pantry must be stored above the gluten stuff (again with that contamination concerns!).  So that it my goal this weekend along with homework, midterms, etc.  haha!  I also want to try and come up with a few meals and such that I can make for next week in advance.

I've also been trying to figure out this whole working out thing.  Yes I know how to do it and I know that it's good for me but I realized that I have been focusing on cardio knowing that I should do more ST.  Well let's be real, cardio is getting me nowhere fast.  I remembered that several years ago when I was probably 50 pounds lighter, I lost 20 pounds working out with a trainer one day a week.  Do you know what we did?  Kettlebell stuff before it was popular.  Squats, lunges, bands, rollers and anything that used my body as the weight.  No gym equipment (except the bell, bands and roller).  No treadmill, no ST machines.  They were forbidden.  The only time I could go near one was to put my band around for my next workout.  That was it.  I would hurt for days.  I couldn't sit down to pee without wanting to cry.  But you know what?  It was effective and it WORKED!  So last night instead of running on the treadmill like I was planning, I printed up my sparkpeople.com ST plan.  I went home, started laundry then started my workout.  I'm sore in places I forgot about today!  Not crazy sore but a good sore to remind myself of the good things I did last night.  I am going to try and get a 30 minute walk in tonight but hit the ST tomorrow again!  That will be my focus at this point.  It makes your body look so amazing!

I am trying to get back on the food tracking wagon, just to give myself an idea of what I'm eating.  I have a root canal coming up in a few weeks so I need to be prepared for that.  Then I have the appt for my crown the week after.  Then John and I have a two night getaway just us the following weekend (The very beginning of April).  I'm very much looking forward to it!

Random updates :)

Well let's start with the No 'Poo Experiment.  After about 3 weeks, I gave up with the baking soda.  I moved on to a couple of websites and their gluten free soaps and shampoo's.  I tried the prairie soap and did not like the way my hair felt.  It felt awful!  It made my skin feel dry but I used some lotion after and was just fine.  The deodorant was good but it's not an antiperspirant so all it did was make my armpits smell good for awhile.  haha  I bought some more shampoo and soaps to try, they just came in today.  I will keep you posted.

Happy Valentines Day!  I hope you are having a great day.  I am.  I was remembering just now that when I was a little girl, my dad used to bring me home a gift when he brought my mom home one.  I used to love it and look forward to it.  It made me feel special.  I sent my dad a text to remind him and thank him for doing that for me growing up.  It's the little things that count.  haha!  John surprised me this morning with a brand new laptop.  I cried, a lot.  hahaha  Mine is five years old and has been dying on me.  It has become quite a chore to do homework on it.  He knew I couldn't afford to buy a new one so he got me one.  It means so much to me!  Then shortly after I get to work, 13 long stem red roses appear on my desk from the florist.  They are stunning and smell amazing!  I am so spoiled and so blessed!

John's younger sister was in town from Kauai the last week or so.  She flew back yesterday.  Out of the three sisters, she was the only one that I wasn't sure liked me.  It always felt awkward and I always felt guarded with her.  For the first time, we got to really sit and chat.  We got to know each other and really enjoy ourselves.  For the first time, I felt like myself around her and felt comfortable.  It was really nice and I'm glad that we got to know each other better.  She flew into town to surprise their older sister with a surprise 50th birthday party.

This weekend we went shopping at Kohl's.  Their clearance items were like 80% off the clearance price.  Clearly worth it!  Well I bought a really nice, comfortable pair of cotton trousers.  They were like $8.00.  Well they were also a size 18W.  I am mortified to admit that.  I am so tired of how tight my other pants are right now.  Thankfully after washing and wearing them this weekend, I found that they were too big for me.  But not much bigger.  This cannot continue.  I did the Sparkpeople Boot Camp DVD yesterday and did a 50 minute walk/run on Sunday.  I saw some pictures of myself from John's sisters surprise party and was disgusted.  I looked awful.  Enough is enough.  I plan to start the 17 Day Diet next week.  It's clean eating with lean proteins and lots of veggies.  Some friends are also doing that program right now.  I may do a combination of Tosca's Clean Eating Diet with the 17 Day Diet.  They are very similar.  Although I do prefer to try and go gluten free as well.  I will keep you posted.

Back to work I go!  Have a great day!

Half Marathon and Dietary Changes - advice welcomed!

A co-worker popped over to my desk and said, "Dee, do you want to run a half marathon with me in May?"  I looked at her and blinked my eyes.  Then I said, "I can't even run a mile, how would I run 13.1?"  She said we had three months to train.  Please keep in mind, I would love to run but always seem to do stupid stuff to myself.  For instance, I somehow managed to mess up my right foot and get weird stabbing sensations in it when I walk sometimes or go on my tiptoes for something.  Goodness me!  Although the idea of a half marathon does intrigue me, I think I need to be real with myself.  I'm in school plus working full time.  School is a heavy set of classes with tons of reading and assignments.  I was considering saying yes but am now second guessing myself.  I'm afraid it will be too much to take on.  Trying to teach myself how to run and be able to run enough of those 13.1 miles.  John thinks I should wait too and do a few 5k's before attempting a half.  What do you think?

Also, I've been thinking about the foods that John and I have been eating.  I'm not perfect, nor do I claim to be.  But I'm seriously tired of being overweight and I have no one to blame but myself.  I'm trying to decide what a good way for us to eat would be.  I do like the clean style of eating although they do remove some things I like to eat.  I've been cutting out dairy for some time.  I use cheese and cottage cheese but don't use real milk anymore.  I refuse to use fake butter but do have raw organic butter in the freezer and real butter in the fridge.  I try to use olive oil, coconut oil and grapeseed oil for all my cooking needs.  I think Paleo is too much for me to maintain for life.

I was reading information on the 17 Day Diet plan and it totally makes sense.  (No, I'm not doing the plan but I do like to know about these things so I'm informed)  It's basically clean eating rotating things in and out every cycle.  The author states that once you are on a diet, you will always be on a diet because you cannot go back to the way you ate before.  I do have to agree with that in some way.  It shouldn't feel like a diet, it should be a lifestyle change.

I also am considering going gluten free.  All the things I like to eat are now made gluten free.  And wheat is bad for you.  It's not a super wonderful diet grain like they say.  Our bodies have a hard time digesting it and many people have sensitivities to it even if they do not have Celiac's Disease.

How do you eat?  What are your preferences?  I would really love to get some feedback or advice.

3 year anniversary of quitting smoking!

3 years ago today was Day 1 of my quitting smoking.

I had my last Camel No. 9 cigarette on Feb. 5, 2009.

It has not always been easy but I get through it.

My taste buds didn't seem to change like people said.

But my sense of smell is amazing now.  lol  I am very sensitive to smells now.

Everyone else in my family still smokes.  My sister told me today she wishes she could quit.  I told her she could quit, once she truly was ready.  I was unsuccessful two or three other times because I wasn't fully ready to give it up.

It's almost surreal.  It almost feels like I was never a smoker at all.  It seems like it was an eternity ago.

But here I am, smoke free for 3 years!  Woohoo!!!