Where I Get Real

Friday I was sent to a specialist who was supposed to do a test on me to figure out why my neck sprain wasn't healing and if there was an inflammation that went undetected in my MRI (which showed nothing). Long story short the specialist spent a few minutes with me and said, "Of course the MRI of your neck was clean, there is nothing wrong with your neck. Your rotator cuff is strained." I felt my cortisol levels rise with stress. "You mean I've been being treated for the wrong thing for a month and a half?" I said. She confirmed the worst. Now I must go back to physical therapy to heal my actual injury and help me regain strength. I am under doc's orders not to lift anything over 10lbs (thank goodness my angelic dog child only weighs in at 8.5lbs!) I am very frustrated with all of this and just want to stop hurting. It has really taken a toll on me physically (I look so drained) and of course emotionally (I just want to curl into a ball on the sofa). That mixed with being busy, some personal issues, and being in the driest spell ever of my acting career has made it tough to really kick into gear. On the other hand in a lot of ways my new vows to enter fit-dom have been helpful when I've mustered the energy to be active. Friday I was feeling particularly frustrated after my doc visit, so I went home and went on a run. It felt great to focus that negative energy into something good for me.

Wednesday marks the official One Month Down point. I was always a gold star kind of student in school and excelled with projects and assignments, so I am kind of embarrassed to not do as well as I had hoped this month. However, this would not be an honest blog about the road to fitness if I didn't properly address my struggles, because no matter where anyone is with whatever their personal challenge is, everyone struggles. I found myself so frustrated when I couldn't/wouldn't/didn't meet my goals that I lost sight of all the days I did exercise, won a battle against temptation, or had a positive day (and there were several!) So my goal for week five is to: Do the Best I Can. If I can end my day by being able to say that I am confident that I did the best I could that day, then my goal shall be met.

I leave you with one of my favorite ways to cut calories while getting a dose of healthy good-for-you fat, the Misto Olive Oil Sprayer. My hubby and I go through so much less olive oil this way and don't lose any of the delicious taste. Spraying your olive oil covers more surface area with a smaller amount of oil. Brilliant.

http://www.misto.com

Are you having frustrations on your fitness journey?

A Goal and a Poem

So, what’s the sitch for week four? A combo of a food goal and an exercise goal. I’m sure you’ve heard of people toting the value of not eating after 9pm (this played a part in my bestie’s triumphant slim down for her wedding), so I am going to give it a whirl, and for the rest of the week I will close the kitchen after 9pm. I will also aim to get in three strong workouts. I know these will need to take place today, Friday, and Saturday since I have a class after work followed by seeing a play tomorrow.

Positive of the Day: At the ol' day job our kitchen is connected to our copy room. Thus today when I went in to make a copy and happened upon a slew of leftover lunch meeting food (including brownies-a serious weakness) I turned my soon-to-be-fit arse right around and sought out another copy room, so I would not be tempted.

I leave you with this:

Ode to Veggie Chili by BB30

Oh veggie chili, thou art a perfect luncheon treat,
One cup of you is fiber filled and oh-so nutritious to eat.

Vegetable and beanie goodness keep my belly full,
So I am not so hungry later fighting the midday pull
To the vending machine with its Grandma’s Cookies
Whose chocolate dough is just the shiz-nit.
No way, Vendy, I don’t need you-I am on a deadline to get-fit!

So bring on the protein, bring on the tomatoes,
Iron, potassium, and vitamin C!
Leave out the rice (but brown’s okay), the beans are carb enough for me!

Don’t forget the zucchini with its folates and Vitamin A,
Add in some zinc filled carrots, maybe some onions, and call it a day.

Dash in some herbie goodness like some basil in the pot
And don’t forget the tumeric-cause damn girl, your liver’s hott!

Oh veggie chili, you’ve taken my heart-it’s gone away, it’s stolen.
But I do wish you were a bit gentler and nicer to my colon!

Party Weekend Survivor!

We married off my bestie this weekend in a charming, beautiful, magical event. There was too much excitement to over eat and enough dancing and tears of joy to burn off those extra mojito calories.

Now down to business and making the most of my last week until the end of Month One.

Big Weekend

I am leaving soon for my big weekend in sunny SoCal. Surely there will be temptaions and challenges, so I know there will be lots to tell when I return next week!!

I Am Being Stalked

I have a stalker, and her name is Ice Cream. I told you all of my recent struggle with the yearning for ice cream. I survived a baseball game, took an alternate route to avoid Dairy Queen, and resisted an ice cream truck all in one day! I forgot to mention that I tried to satiate my unruly desire on Sunday with a McDonald’s vanilla cone (a mere 150 calories-good tip alert), but alas, their machine was broken. So, I stayed strong.

Cut to Tuesday, ICE CREAM SOCIAL DAY, in the cafeteria at work. Seriously? Seriously!
I am officially being chased by a personal food demon!

Do I dare? Stressful! Curses!

Notice that a pictue of me with ice cream all over my face is not here. That's because I ran away from the cart and lived calorie savinging-ly ever after!

Like I've mentioned my eating goals revolve around balance and not thinking of any foods as "bad foods," but right now I know I would over do it in an instant, so I need to hold off with this dessert for now.

What food demon stalks you??

Damn Girl, Your Liver Is Hott!

Someone with a legit background took a look at my tongue recently and told me that I have heat in my liver. I thought that was sort of a weird statement (second only to the request, “lemme see your tongue”), but I was very open to listening to what that means. Apparently there are foods that irritate our organs. Cheeses (especially cow’s milk) and red wine effect the liver. Let it be known that I love red wine, and shredded 2% sharp cheddar appears atop most of my dinners. Just as the students of South Park Elementary woo their classmates with promises of punch-n-pie, I am as easily swayed by wine-n-cheese. So, I have begun to watch my intake of these liver offenders and tickle my cheese fancy with more sheep’s milk and goat cheeses (although sometimes a girl just needs her cheddar cheese stick and almond combo protein-y snack). Likewise I am aiming to eat liver cooling foods such as artichokes, dandelion tea, and incorporating the spice tumeric (sometimes called Indian Saffron-used in a lot of South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking). A little soy butter or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter with a pinch of tumeric for steamed artichoke dipping anyone??? Please try it. You shall love it and your liver will too. Yum! I have been dashing tumeric into my stir fry for a few weeks now and it is such a nice flavor punch! Warning: It will turn your cauliflower yellow, don’t let that freak you out.

How can you detect a hot liver by looking at your tongue? According to the person who gave me the diagnosis, there is an inflammation of your tongue and a curling that indicates liver heat.

As I’ve delved more into research I have learned that another factor that can contribute to liver heat, or liver fire, is anger. The liver can actually hold on to anger, and it sort of boils up creating this heat. Hmmm….BB30=struggling artist + frustrating day job. An equation for anger some might say. Could it be that my liver is my emotional trash compactor? (I call dibs on penning that as a country/western song!) My Liver’s An Emotional Trash Compactor by BB30. In all seriousness, I am a true believer that your insides (emotions and organs) must be in tact before you can fully take on your outsides!!

According to Eastmountain.com here are some foods I should avoid:

Chilies (Okay, but I find chili powder such a delish seasoning)
Cinnamon (I thought cinnamon was good for metabolism -this is confusing)
Garlic (Whaaaa??? Maybe I will just deal with a hot liver.)
Ginger (No cleansing my pallet between makis?? Isn’t tumeric a cousin of ginger?)
Wasabi (What will become of sushi Fridays?)
Onions (Dammit)
Coffee (Double Dammit)
Vinegar (Fine, I am typically salad dressing free!)
Mustard (Shut your face!)
Horseradish (I am loyal to Koop’s Horseradish Mustard-this does not bode well for me)
Chocolate (No comment, it’s too painful)
Red meat/Veal (No problem!!)
Shrimp/Prawns (Crap)
Cheese (sniff)
Citrus Fruits (Ok)
Peanuts (Easy)
Lard, Margarine (Ew-narsty!)
Fried foods (no prob those do not promote bikini readiness)
BBQ’d foods (although a native Texan, actually easy, and again, not conducive to bikini readiness)
Cigarettes (I don’t partake.)
Alcohol (Afterwork drinks can be a necessity, but I get it-we are dealing with the liver afterall.)
Artificial preservatives, artificial colorings and all highly processed foods (I will try, but I have the fact that I reside in America working against me.)

Here are some links to info I found about this subject:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Liver-Fire-Is-it-the-Cause-of-Your-Pain?&id=553465

http://www.eastlandpress.com/preview/add3.pdf

Stay tuned as I work to cool off my insides!

Week Two Round Up

So how'd I do this week? Meh. I did okay exercise wise. It was quite a busy week involving several different areas of life, so I felt spread a bit thin. I didn't manage my time well enough to get in work outs on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was only getting in six hours of sleep a night tops, so I just couldn't bare to lose any hours and get up early. I had to swap the weights for soup cans, and I am a bit frustrated with having to take strength training so slowly. I am definitely not able to follow the Prevention plan full out, but I am using it as a guide and enjoying the power walks (one day it was raining so I did it on my elliptical and burned even more calories-woo hoo). I noticed that I actually need to do a light jog in some places of the speed bursts to get my heart rate up correctly. Food wise I have done a pretty good job of combating temptations.

For example, Saturday I attended the Cubs/Astros game (hooray for my first married Cubs game!)


YOU: BB30, what's that box you and your fine husband are holding?
ME: Do you know what they are selling at Wrigley Field this season? A four pound soft pretzel!



Don't worry I did not inhale the entire thing, this is how much the two of us actually consumed together (and shared a piece with a pal), we really just wanted to say we bought one. It is still sitting in our kitchen:



So, my baseball game lunch included the equivalent of about half a soft pretzel, some peanuts in the shell (they take a long time to crack open each one and eat which is a good tip), and a light beer. This is of course not a meal at the height of nutrition, but I avoided the processed cheese sirens that are ball park nachos and the one thing that has been calling me for days now....ice cream. I realize that having a cup last weekend was too soon in the game, because I have been in a crave spiral ever since (the ol' monthly hormones do not help either). I need to be strong for now until I stabilize a bit. I also avoided the temptation on my walk home from the game to take the route that would lead me past Dairy Queen. BB30 2-Ice Cream 0. Wouldn't you know what was lurking on my alternate route.....



Seriously, there was an adorable ice cream truck singing on the corner. Good grief!
I knew I had stretched my limits enough with my less than appropriate lunch, so I stayed strong! Whew! That was close. I have since continued to long for ice cream.

I have some challenges this coming week in the form of a fabulous trip to California for my bestie's wedding (weeeee!!!!!!) There will be temptations, but I vow to enjoy all of the delights of a wedding weekend and still maintain balance. I can do it! It's also good motivation to be on point this week.

So, my goal for week three is to continue to do what I can of the Prevention Magazine plan and be even more committed! Wish me luck!