Eating on Vacation!!

It’s back to reality after almost a week and a half off! I love the fact that owning a business allows me flexibility, but it also means I can rarely relax and take my mind off my work. However, I am evolving and learning balance and I did a pretty good job allowing myself to relax and recharge and I’m ready to get back to business today.

To be fair, I did do a little work and have one conference call on vacation. Staying somewhat on top of things actually eases my anxiety PLUS that’s the downside of being a business owner. The Upside far exceeds the downside, but that’s a discussion for another day.

SO….the the question is: How badly did I kill my healthy lifestyle??? The joke with myself in the past has always been this: I feel super cute boarding the plane to vacation, and I feel like Humpty Dumpty boarding the plane home!

The Verdict: I didn’t do too badly! I did indulge a bit and I did take a little time off from working out, but I’m feeling ok today. I just don’t want to be 100% strict 100% of the time. I can still fit into my skinny jeans today (not that I actually tried them on, but I know!) and I’m not suffering any kind of food hangover! I dare not step on the scale. This works for me because I don’t need that push to get me back on track. However…for some it’s absolutely essential to step on the scale in times like this to avoid the slippery slope downhill into unhealthiness. It’s like the slap in the face from reality.

I’m viewing my allergies and intolerances as strengths – not weaknesses – these days. I guess it’s the “glass half full” approach I try to take with all facets of life to help me perceive challenges as opportunities. Let me tell you, it makes all the difference!

So, knowing gluten sends me right to belly ache city and will ruin days for me, I did very well to avoid MOST of it. I did have a few bites of cake (to be fair I did eat mostly the icing, not the actual cake, to the birthday boy’s dismay haha!), a small piece of fresh bread before dinner, and some mac-n-cheese (heaven!!) I ate 2 bowls of organic oatmeal as well. I don’t eat oats too often anymore. Some consider oats gluten free, but I’m not so sure my body loves it.

I kept gluten at a very minimal and made sure to be VERY diligent with my supplements while away. I made sure I was taking my aloe, a very high quality probiotic and 2 Omega 3 fish oil pills, multi vitamins and extra Magnesium and Vitamin B (the extra vitamins never taken with the multi). I also had a cup of herbal tea each afternoon. I packed raw Stevia packets so I wouldn’t be tempted by Splenda. I did have quite the love affair with Splenda in my past, although I’m pretty sure the evil sweetener didn’t love me back. Lastly, I picked up 2 lemons upon arrival and had a glass of warm lemon water every morning.

I didn’t really have any cheese (except in the Mac) or meat, maybe a few bites at the most. I did indulge in some wine and more than a few Mojitos. I’m a sucker for a FRESH (aka NO premade mixers) cocktail. Our hotel pool bartender was quite the master muddling fresh mint leaves, lime juice and a small amount of raw brown sugar with rum into Mojito wonderland!! I had to do it.
I noticed my face was a little puffier than usual in the morning. I’m thinking it’s because I really never have any salt at home and it’s quite the staple in even the healthiest of restaurant options. Also, as much as I tried, I didn’t drink as much water as I normally do at home. I aim for a gallon a day, and I know I fell short.

A word about my workouts: I’m very dedicated to exercise, but occasionally a little obsessive. I did allow myself a few days of rest while in Ft. Lauderdale. I did one full workout (35 min cardio, 30 min upper body weight training) and one light cardio workout (35 min). I did some walking, then got back to the gym yesterday, Sunday, and had a great workout – after a coffee jolt. There really is something to letting your muscles rest and repair. A lot of us gym addicts find it difficult to do this, even though it’s common practice for athletes and bodybuilders. Do it! I feel great.

All in all, I really only had one upset belly day. I’ll take it!! So, back to the grind and I’m psyched to get back to the gym and back to my “diet” (for lack of a better word).

I hate to say I want to detox, because it’s such an overused buzzword these days. I also feel like detox implies eating well for a short time then returning to junky eating. This is NOT my aim. I’m going to take some guidance from a Facebook group I was added to (thanks Cherie) and eat (mostly) raw before dinner, and vegan in the evening. I’m also going to take a brief hiatus from alcohol, since we spent a lot of time together on the rainy Florida days.
It’s off to work now, feeling good!!

But How Do You Get Your Protein??

   One of the most commonly heard question to vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists, etc. would be:  “But how do you get your protein?”  Sometimes it’s: “but how do you get enough protein?”  Ask a particularly crabby vegan and she’ll roll her eyes and walk away!  While I think it’s a little sad we don’t look to mother nature more for protein, I do understand we’re a product of marketing and conditioned to think animal sources are the best for protein. 

      NOT SO!

   The earth has given us so many beautiful, sufficient, complete forms of protein. 

   I’ll skip the “why you should eat less or no animal products” speech for another time.  Just know that it’s scientifically proven that a diet high in animal protein is often high in saturated fat.  Mega meat eaters have a higher chance of developing of cancer, auto immune disorders and heart disease.  Further, animal products like meat and dairy decrease body alkalinity, which decreases overall health while increasing cancer likelihood. 

So, here is a list of my favorite plant based protein sources, in no particular order:

-Beans, legumes & lentils (less from a can, always rinsed or soaked first)

-Quinoa (great substitute for rice or to break the boredom in a salad, good carb!)

-Veges (a cup of asparagus or spinach has 5 grams of protein each…Eat your Veges!!)

-Chia Seeds (so yummy soaked in almond milk with a little stevia)

-Hemp seeds or powder

-Ground Flax Seeds (steer clear of the whole seeds, we can’t digest them)

-Almond milk 

-Plain organic coconut keifer (amazing pre and probiotics)

-Vegetable or brown rice protein powders (I’m picky about which ones I use…good ones are Vega, Sun Warrior, Swanson organic and Raw.)

I avoid things like sprouted breads and setian because I have gluten issues.  I also shun soy products.  No tofu, tempeh, or “fake” meats and cheeses made from soy for me.  I ate a lot of soy in my early and mid twenties and my hormones were never more out of balance.  Plus I do not believe the soy products we consume here in the US are healthy.  Maybe if you’re eating the organic fermented soy often eaten in Asian countries you’ll do fine!

I do occasionally eat organic egg whites or a plain organic Greek yogurt.  I know these are vegan no no’s!  But like I said, I’m about 85-90% plant based, so cut a girl a break! 

 

No Fruit at the Farmers Market??

  I was so excited to make my first visit to the open air farmers market in Collingswood last week.  Beside my love for fresh, organic produce and my passion to support local agriculture, I love an outside farmers market because it signals the arrival of my true love:  SUMMER!!

  I don’t know if it’s just early in the season or what, but my perusing was a little lacking as there really wasn’t any fruit at any of the stands!  Of course I love my veges, and gladly filled my bags with squash, zucchini, mushrooms, red onion (prebiotics!!) cauliflower, and asparagus (a little too gritty)…but I was hoping for some amazing Jersey blueberries and strawberries, maybe some peaches. 

  I’m going to use some wishful thinking that the next market I visit will be choc full of fruits, as well as ripe delicious Jersey tomatoes (yes, it’s almost tomato time!!).  Come on people, I’ve got recipes on hand ready to make!

A few random thoughts and updates:

  I have not been sticking with the high fruit, mainly raw diet.  I’m still focusing on eating as much raw (or lightly cooked) fruit and vegetables, but allowing for cooked ones too, as well as some nuts (raw or unsalted), beans and legumes (love them for the fiber, protein and satiety), occasional organic egg whites (a yolk here or there for the vital nutrients), and vegetable protein powder (still looking for my favorite…love Vega and Sun Warrior chocolate). 

  I did not abandon the high raw, high fruit diet because I think it’s bad, wrong or I didn’t feel well.  In fact I felt great, which reinforced a few things:  a diet heavy in fruit and veges close to their natural state is BEST, fruits and veges energize every cell in my body, my eyes and skin are brightened with every ounce of produce eaten, my belly is pretty happy with this diet.  In fact, I didn’t abandon the diet at all…I’m just reinventing it to make it my own. 

  Like many women, I fell prey to “picking” yet another diet and going for it.  I did gain a tiny bit of weight after 7 days of fruit (although I didn’t visually see it, so who knows).  I also worry about getting enough protein and if I can realistically (or want to) adapt this lifestyle.  (Before I get yelled at by people successfully on this diet***I understand I may not have been eating enough –it’s advocated to eat over 2500 calories a day in fruit and high carb goodness like potatoes — and I’m not disputing claims that this lifestyle can’t be nuturing enough to sustain a beautiful life***)  I am claiming that I feel some type of blend between Dr. Fuhrman’s Nutrarian lifestyle and the bodybuilding lifestyle is best for someone like me  –> a mesomorph ‘naturally athletic’ type body, weak digestive system, active and busy lady.  So that’s where I’m at.  (***and by bodybuilding lifestyle, I mean understanding balance between protein, healthy fat and carbs — essentially fueling muscles and promoting their growth.  I also mean to by omitting the meat, dairy, and highly chemical laden supplements.) 

  I think it’s vital to maintain adequate protein consumption — especially if you’re active, particularly if you’re athletic.  So I’m bringing back the fish as well.  So look for posts as I re-educate myself on the healthiest way to do this. 

  So here we are…always evolving, always learning. 

At a leadership conference I took part in at McGuire Airforce Base yesterday this was yet again reinforced….you want to be successful, it’s just working hard, continuing to be a student of the game (whatever that game is), having a positive attitude of gratitude, and taking advantage of opportunity.  So we continue on! 

Confession:  I ate cake and brownies on Father’s day last week (and not just a sliver).  I felt like hell on Monday morning. 

Pat on the back:  I walked past the beautifully iced sheet cake at the conference yesterday and grabbed an apple!  I feel great today : )

High Raw? Vegan? Nutrarian? None of the Above for Real?

Following my week+ from hell, I’m feeling much better.  I’ve been on a high raw vegan diet since Sunday.  So far my body is thanking me!  Four days of mostly raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  I had one meal of steamed veges, some beans,  an organic protein bar, flax and some dried fruits (my candy!)…ok and a few small pieces of chocolate.  I’m not complaining either!

So this begets the question…is some type of raw or vegan diet the way to go?? 

I honestly think the answer to this question is a screaming YES!  In theory, I really don’t see how this is not the way to go.  The science behind it all backs up the fact that enough fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds will provide all the vitamins, minerals, energy and (yes) protein a person needs.  Emphasize organic and local and it’s a golden, humane plan.

The problem is…it’s not always practical in the world we live to eat organic, vegan and raw.  Try going to a restaurant on any diet and it’s difficult, try going on a pure vegan lifestyle and servers look at you like you have 7 heads. 

I’m ok at this point with most people thinking my way of eating is boring and not fun.  I truly love it and feel amazing when I’m devouring freshness!  But I’m not going to lie, sometimes I just want some ice cream!  So, I’m going to be strict, but patient with myself.  My goal is some kind of pseudo vegan, raw, Furman, frutarian lifestyle. 

I’m learning so much about this.  I’m only a little concerned of not sticking 100% to a specific plan.  I mean, the 80/10/10 raw folks eat massive amounts of fruit all day…like 20 bananas plus!  I may not be eating 20, but what about 3?  I’ve been stuffing my face with fruit the last few days:  apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, papaya, bananas, blueberries, raisins and prunes.  I feel good.  My energy is up, my cravings are less and my digestive system is happy.  I’ve had at least one green smoothie and one huge green salad a day, along with lots of tea.  I still have a cup of coffee with stevia each day.

At the end of the day, I’m not really sure what my so called “plan” is.  I do know high raw vegan is a lifestyle I do plan to continue.  I’ve been on and off the lifestyle since January and it seems to suit me.  So I’ll just list some of the things I know to be true for me and go from there.

My Beliefs:

-Whole foods (especially organic) are the most nurturing things you can feed your body

-Wheat, even if you can tolerate it, really isn’t a friend.  Most of what we know of as wheat products are so overly processed anyway it cannot be healthy.

-Eating mostly vegan is kind.  I really don’t want to be a part of the inhumane mass murder that goes on in animal slaughter houses.  I don’t want to consume dairy from a cow whose blistered udders are yanked so hard and often she is in constant pain.

-I’m uninterested in consuming excess hormones and antibiotics that are given to so many slaughtered animals.  Excess hormones = fat and bitchy

-I’m uninterested in consuming excess chemicals by eating far too many processed foods or genetically modified foods.  Chemicals = cancer

-My skin and eyes are really clear and bright when I eat lots of produce.  My stomach is flatter.  My hair grows quicker (still can’t get those nails from breaking)

-I can get all the protein I need, even when I’m working out hard, from this lifestyle

-I don’t feel so bad spending on organics when I’m not buying meats, dairy, and processed foods

-Wine is an acceptable part of my lifestyle

I am Not Perfect, but Aloe Juice Kind of is

Digestion is kind of like breathing. When you’re doing it well, you take it for granted. When you’re not doing it well, there is a big problem. Well, I have a big problem with digestion. I’ve been through years of trying to fix the problem too.

I’ll tell you what doesn’t fix the problem: thousands of dollars worth of useless supplements, prescription medications, colonics, and doctor copays.
Don’t get me wrong, some supplements are good, some are even essential. I have nothing against colonics. They’re great to clean you out, but they only put a temporary band aid on the problem. I guess going to a doctor initially to rule out something really serious is good, but after that they’ve been useless to me. Take a drug when I can fix it naturally? Why would we do that? I guess because it’s the easy way out. And the almighty drug companies score a profit.

So, this year I vowed to clean out my pantry of all the supplements that were supposed to help. My decade struggle (science experiment) revealed the supplements that really helped me are probiotics & prebiotics, magnesium, a good multi vitamin, a good anti oxidant and glutamine — of course in addition to my dietary changes.

However, not all supplements are created. In many ways you get what you pay for. I started taking my vitamins in a powder form, so more of the actual vitamin is absorbed into my body. Digestion is tough on those capsules and we really don’t get the bang for the buck of what the label says we should get.

I also finally found an aloe juice I swear by! I’ve tried so many of them. I’ve tried expensive ones, cheap ones, tasty ones, disgusting ones, gels, powders…but nothing seemed to changed. Then I found the aloe juice to swear by!!

Aloe has been used for thousands of years to boost immunity and speed up healing. It contains vitamins and enzymes that help the digestive process. Since we have a tendancy to eat and drink things maybe nature didn’t intend, some of us need a little help getting it all through. The juice I swear by is made from the whole leaf and has more polymers and active (natural) ingredients to boost digestion. I have friends who have no digestive issues, but take a shot or two just to keep their immune systems up.

Oh the best part (other than actually pushing stuff through lol)… the strawberry kiwi flavor is actually really delicious and makes a perfect vodka or patron martini!!

http://www.shop.com/tracikelly

I Am Not Perfect!

Last night I caught up with a dear friend. It’s been a while since we connected because life just gets in the way of connecting with your friends sometimes, especially when miles separate you.

So this friend told me for the last few months she’s been really disciplined and strict about her diet (and by the way I think this woman is beautiful and really has nothing to worry about, but we’re our own worst critics). She cut out junk and has been sticking to salads and veges.

This is great; I love when people really commit to a healthy lifestyle. BUT…I had this little pang of, omigosh she’s on this perfect diet, no cheating, she’s got control of this thing and yet I still cave here and there with the wine and candy. I need to get it together! I was happy for her, but I felt crappy about myself.

Then she told me she struggles…and she still has wine on the weekends! I was seriously relieved. Relieved not because I revel in someone else’s struggle, relieved because I am not the weak loser I was condemning myself to be. Ladies, we are all in this together! And freakin’ cheers to us who choose to adopt a lifestyle that not only helps us look good on the outside, but feel good on the inside.

Cheers to us who make healthy choices – and actually enjoy them – 90% of the time. And a big cheers to us who embrace our inner bad girl and make a few not so healthy choices 10% of the time.

Cheers to you, who can do so without beating yourself up. I am getting there.

Going Gluten (Almost) Free

I really like cake…and cookies.  I like pasta and bread.  I like pretzels.  I love cereal, oh how I love cereal.  I’m not even talking about the sugary delicious cereals like Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs, I’m also referring to the healthy, whole grain cereals from Whole Foods types.  I like all this stuff way too much. The problem is, this stuff seems to hate me.

I’m not going to go on a “carbs are evil” rant. We’ve heard it all before, and anyway not all carbs are evil and in moderation they’re quite necessary.

It’s just that every time I had a decent amount of anything with gluten I was sick. I felt tired, bloated, and backed up. My skin seemed dull and I just couldn’t shake those stubborn few pounds in spite of my intense workouts. I was miserable, losing days because I didn’t feel good. Nothing is worse than not fitting into my clothes right because I felt like I had a basketball in my stomach!

I tried every herb under the sun to help me. A few did and I continue using them today, but they didn’t cure me. Doctors want to put you on meds, but I’m not a fan of prescription drugs for ailments I’m sure can be cured naturally. I did try 2 prescriptions, but didn’t last long on them. I really felt like they cured one problem by creating another! I pretty much did everything other than eliminate gluten because I was in denial this could be the issue. Not only did I – do I – love the stuff like it’s crack, but every other piece of digestive advice by some guru or doctor tells you to stick to whole grain for the FIBER FIBER FIBER. Oh and that whole grains help you lose weight, fill you up, blah blah blah…

Look, I’m sure whole grains do all this. But a few caveats:
1. Not all people are gluten tolerant!
Most people can walk around unbothered by pollen in the spring, but some can’t. We accept that there are seasonal allergies, so why is it so hard to accept food allergies??
2. Not all whole grain products are really whole grain!
Marketing in America is a beautiful thing. I will rant about that another time. Labels and wording can be very misguiding. So that whole wheat bread with your salad may not be the heart healthy whole grain you think it is (and we wonder why we’re sick and fat?!)

So, along with (most) of Dr. Fuhrman’s other rules, I eliminated (most) gluten from my life. And you know what…
I’m not dying of being deprived, miserable & tormented! Actually, it’s not so bad. The other thing, I feel amazing and I dropped a few pounds without increasing my workouts. I actually decreased my workouts. I don’t feel bloated and I’m rarely backed up. Who knew?

I still have my herbs and rituals, and live by them. I found a new aloe juice that’s finally helping also. It’s a God Send. I still have occasional setbacks triggered by gluten overindulgences. Luckily, I seem to tolerate an occasional cookie or slice of bread. So I go for it…like I said, mostly gluten free.