Monday, June 30th 2008

Meal One
1 1/2 scrambled eggs
1/4 cup salsa
1 pepper sliced

Meal Two
Big salad at Whole Foods:
mixed greens, mushrooms, bell peppers, cranberries, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hearts of palm, olives, strawberries, blueberries, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, shredded chicken, hard boiled egg.

Meal Three
2 oz shredded roast beef homemade
1/4 cup rice
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon raw pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon honey

Meal Four
2 oz hamburger patty homemade
1 slice ezekiel bread
1 teaspoon mayo expeller pressed
1 tablespoon ketchup, mustard
1 oz raw cheese

Sunday, June 29th 2008

I haven't started my meals yet today. Actually it's 39 minutes past midnight and I should be in bed resting for Sunday. But, I wanted to journal about something my children said the day before yesterday (Friday) which I thought was so precious. Over the years, I wish I would have written down some of the wonderful quotes they have spoken in innocence, wonder and intellect beyond their years.

When we were driving to our gym for the 11am WOD (workout of the day), a short thunder storm passed over us. The rain was coming down pretty hard and there was thunder and lightning. I was pretty focused and distracted since we were running late. Soon my countenance softened as I listened to Sophia and Sebastian's conversation...

Sophia said, "Wow, look at all this rain. I wonder what this rain is like to God? I think God is using a sprinkler to water the earth." Sebastian remarks, "No, I know! The rain means God is playing with the sprinkler toy. God is playing in the sprinkler with Danielle, Logan and Rock!"

I was stunned by my little boy's image of God playing...and that God was playing with our loved ones who have died and are now in heaven. I wish I could bottle his innocence and wonder. And I look forward to one day playing in the sprinkler with God too!

For those of you who may not know or remember, Danielle, is my sister who was killed in a car accident, Logan was our wonderful German Shepherd we had to put to sleep a year later, and Rock was a dog who belonged to one of my best friends who had to be put to sleep as well.

O.k., going to bed now. Goodnight.

Meal One
2 scrambled eggs
1/4 cup salsa homemade
1 slice Ezekiel bread w/butter

Meal Two
Protein powder
1/3 cup blueberries
1/4 avocado
ice
water

Meal Three
2 oz grilled steak homemade
1/2 cup broccoli w/butter
1/4 cup brown rice

Saturday, June 28th 2008

Meal One
1 1/2 scrambled eggs
1/2 slice Ezekiel Bread w/butter and jam
1/4 cup salsa homemade

Meal Two
Food I chose to eat at baby shower (over the course of two hours)
2 deviled eggs w/ four green olives
1/2 brownie
2 slices or chunks of each: mango, pineapple, kiwi, honeydew melon
2 slices celery
handful of raw broccoli
1/4 cup chicken salad
1/2 croissant
1/4 cup juice

Meal Three
Qdoba Mexican Restaurant w/hubby and kids
Steak naked burrito (burrito w/o tortilla shell)
w/ one scoop rice, one scoop black beans
w/ one scoop quacamole
w/ one scoop sour cream
w/ one scoop shredded cheese
w/ one scoop diced tomatoes
w/ one scoop steak
w/ two scoops lettuce
w/ one scoop fajita veggies (bell peppers and onions)


Meal Four
Date night w/hubby at sushi restaurant
Four pieces of a roll made w/rice, sea weed paper, salmon, tuna, cucumber, asparagus, avocado
Bowl of miso soup
Few bites of mixed greens salad w/chicken
Four pieces of a roll made w/salmon, tuna, asparagus tempura, avocado
2 4oz glasses of red wine


I am heading to a friend's baby shower. Let's see what wonderful goodies can tempt me there! But, it will be wonderful to be around some wonderful friends :-)



What a wonderful day today turned out to be. I enjoyed a delightful morning being around lovely friends catching up on life since we last met, and meeting a new people with friendly faces and hearts!

Then, I met my husband and children at Cherry Street for an outdoor lunch at Qdoba Mexican Grill. We ate like ravenous wolves (not me since I was still full from the shower), and we laughed and soaked up the warm afternoon sunshine under the table-size umbrella. After our meal we took a leisurely walk through Utica Square and dreamed of things we could buy at Restoration Hardware once our kids turn 18 or move out of the house!



Our wonderful babysitter agreed to watch our kids tonight. And I was even more fortunate to end my day on a date with my sexy husband. We got all dressed up and arrived at the sushi restaurant just before the Saturday night crowd. Our food was delicious, and the services was outstanding! Thanks to Rorie and Jen for taking such good care of us!

Friday, June 27th 2008

Meal One
2 scrambled eggs
1/2 cup sauteed asparagus
1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms
1/4 cup salsa homemade
1/2 slice Ezekiel bread w/ butter and jam

Meal Two
2 oz grilled burger homemade
1/2 slice baby swiss cheese
1/2 slice Ezekiel bread
1/2 teaspoon mayo expeller pressed
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms
1/4 cucumber sliced
1 teaspoon raw honey w/1 teaspoon raw pumpkin seeds

Meal Three
2 oz grilled chicken homemade
1/4 cup sweet potato
1 cup steamed broccoli w/butter and salt
1/4 cucumber sliced

Meal Four
This meal was a snack at a friend's house
1/4 cup lentil stew
2 table spoons cream cheese
1 cup of coffee w/ 1/2 cup milk and 2 teaspoons raw honey

Meal Five
1 boiled egg
1/2 Kashi granola bar


Here I am a week later, Friday. Friday is the day I want to lay down my guard and just relax as the weekend approaches. I don't really want to think about portions and rules. I really want to have fun and refrain from thinking any negative thoughts. But, today, I am not going to do what I WANT. Instead, I am going to do what is necessary to achieve the results I want right now, but takes weeks or months to obtain. If every day gets me that much closer to those results, why am I going to let some mere feelings get in my way? And that is all that eating right boils down to: feelings. It feels good to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. But, it only feels good during the moment the food or drink is on my tongue. It is such a fleeting sensation; it never seems to satisfy for more than an hour or so. On the other hand, eating right feels good too. It may not have the ecstatic measure of pleasure, but it is a lasting pleasure. I feel good when I eat vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats in small portions every three to four hours. I feel good in my head, I feel good in my stomach, my bowels work normally, I don't feel tired or cranky throughout the day, and I don't have real highs or real lows. I feel stable. I also feel very strong during my cardio and weight training workouts. The short and long of it is, that it feels good to eat whatever I want, but only for a few minutes; it feels good to eat what I should, and I feel good for hours and hours and even days and months when I stick to the program long term.

I do want to clarify for anyone reading this who may not know a little of my history. The results I am experiencing now come after a month of weaning myself off of sugar, processed sugar, bread, pasta, rice, french fries, greasy food, large portions, etc. That month of weaning entailed much of what I would have considered pain and suffering while going through it. But, now I look back and realize I was chemically dependent on the foods mentioned in the previous sentence. If I couldn't get my "dose" of whatever I craved on any given day, I whined, complained and rebelled until I got my way. Then I blamed everyone else for my misery and fat body. When that didn't work, I made excuse after excuse to justify my actions and accept my fat body, mood swings, and lack of energy. You've heard my excuses: I have kids, the kids are sick, I am too busy, my husband doesn't do this or that, I don't have a car, I don't have the money, I don't have time, I am too tired, I am not good at it, I am too weak, I can't do that, I'll never be able to do that, that's not me, I hate sweating, I hate the cold, I hate this exercise, I hate vegetables, I can't cook, I can't, I won't, I want what I want....

Somewhere along the way, I got really sick. It was when I returned from a Crossfit Cert in Dallas (March). I mean really sick. I had a 105 degree temp., and I thought I was going to die. Then, when the pain wouldn't go away for another three days, I actually prayed to God to let me die. As the fever finally decreased, I got really mad. I got angry with myself and my body. I did not like that my body was broken down and it wouldn't recover. I mean I was sick for three weeks. My kids and husband were sick too and got better after 14 days. I thought: I am 36 years old. This is the only body I've got. I am either going to continue to feed it foods that will accelerate my aging process and inability to fight disease, or I am going to feed it foods that will slow down aging and help fight against disease. I decided excuses were only a disguise for actual and methodical failure. I would not make excuses anymore. I would make decisions. I decided to make a menu. I decided to follow the menu. I decided to decline my cravings. I decided to cry when I felt like crying instead of eating a brownie, to sleep when I felt cranky instead of eating a pizza, to fight against my habit of eating whatever I felt like eating.

That month of getting off the "crack" (what some crossfitters call processed sugars & grains) was very difficult. I failed at times. But, I kept going. The longer I refrained from the empty carbohydrates, the easier it became to say no. And my mood swings got smaller and smaller. I finally stopped crying through my wods! It was hell, I won't lie to you. But, I am so grateful to be on this side. Now when I have a margarita or an ice cream cone, I know what chemical reaction I am causing in my body. I am not numb to the toxicity of sugar and other processed foods. I know what I am choosing to do if I eat things like that. And when I begin the zone meals again, I recover quickly. I love to exercise, I love to feel this good all day long. You should try it. If you want some help with zoning feel free to email me or leave a comment.

Thursday, June 26th 2008

Meal One
2 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup homemade salsa
1/4 cup sliced green peppers
1/2 cup sauteed asparagus w/ olive oil
1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms
1/2 slice Ezekiel bread w/butter

Meal Two
2 oz roast beef homemade
1/4 cup sweet potatoes baked
1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms w/ olive oil
1/4 cucumber sliced
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce

Meal Three
2 oz grilled chicken homemade
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes w/basil and olive oil
1/4 cup of green peppers
1/4 cucumber sliced
10 black olives

Wednesday, June 25th 2008

Meal One
1 1/2 eggs
1/4 cup homemade salsa (tomatoes, cilantro, fresh garlic, lime, salt, onion powder, pepper)
1/4 cup green peppers
1/4 avocado

Meal Two
2 oz grilled chicken (homemade)
1 slice watermelon
1/4 cucumber sliced
10 black olives

Snack (@ movies w/kids--not a Zone meal since I had no protein blocks)
1 cup air popped popcorn from home
1/4 cucumber sliced
4 pieces of chocolate mint candy (about 1 carb block or 8 grams)
1 slice Ezekiel bread w/butter

Meal Three
@Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant
5 chips w/salsa
1 chicken fajita w/cheese no tortilla shell (about 2 oz chicken)
1 tablespoon guacamole
1/4 cup diced tomatoes

Meal Four
3 oz grilled burger homemade
1 slice Ezekiel Bread
2 teaspoons mayo (expeller pressed, organic)
1 teaspoon ketchup

Meal Five
1 scoop protein powder
1/4 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/3 banana
1/3 avocado (small)
water/ice




Well, here I am five days later since my last post. It has been a difficult time for me since this journal represents my accountability forum. It is difficult because I have to admit I failed miserably in the last five days to stay on the zone. But, the good side to all this misery is that my theories in the MyFoodNanny.com are correct for me (maybe even for you): in order to eat healthy you have to plan ahead or you will default to whatever is available or put in front of you (i.e. at a restaurant or with a crowd of people). More on my trip to Dallas later...

O.k., here is the low down on the trip to Dallas. I did not plan enough in advance by packing Zone meals in my cooler. This is a no brainer, but I did not do this. My excuse? Well, I got too caught up with Vacation Bible School, last minute laundry, packing, and play dates. Next time, I will prioritize by getting groceries for the trip and preparing some Zone meals in advance.

We left for Dallas at about 10 am. I had a Zone meal at 6am, and there goes the first mistake. I began the trip on an empty stomach. I was not driving or in control of when or where I was going to eat. In order to be polite and not come across as a psycho Zone eater, I decided to go with the flow and eat whatever was available. My options were to fast several more hours or eat a Kashi bar and some sesame sticks and/or some fruit. I ate all of the above; but I was not satisfied and subsequently felt more hungry every hour that passed.

By the time our party arrived at the restaurant of choice, I was divulged of another wonderful piece of information: a member of our travel party was having a birthday! This is great for enjoying life, but not great for attempting to stay in the zone right before a Crossfit Certification, and after a whole day of being out of the zone. I completely lost all my sensibility and rationale. After a whole week of abstaining from mexican pastries and other temptations of VBS, I dove into margaritas, chips and salsa, enchiladas and tres leches (mexican style cake)! Not only did I eat in the "party zone", I also went to bed late, and had to wake up at the crack of dawn. There you have it: over load of sugar and alcohol, and lack of sleep. The result was that Saturday, Sunday, Monday were three days of fighting insulin withdrawal, depression (not clinical), and getting my mind back in the game. Why did I want to give up? I don't know. I guess I just want to succeed so much. I am frustrated that I can so easily fall back into bad habits. I don't mind doing the celebratory things that come with hanging out with friends and being together on a great road trip. But, why couldn't I wait until a better weekend--like a weekend where I was not required to show up to a two-day, intensive (end expensive) physical fitness certification that required optimum fitness and concentration/focus?

All said, it was an awesome weekend as far as the company and the certification. What was frustrating was my lack of self-control at the beginning of the weekend that set the tone for me physically and emotionally for the rest of the weekend and the following week. Today is Wednesday, and I am back on track. But, I am still feeling the effects of the weekend: alcohol, ice cream, cake, chips, etc. I guess it was worth it to have fun because of the friends we were with; but I wonder if I let them down in some way by not living up to my platform of healthy living.

Hopefully, next time, I will remember that it all starts with something as simple as planning in advance!

Thursday, June 19th 2008

Meal One
2 Hard boiled eggs
1 slice ezekiel bread
1 tablespoon butter
water

Meal Two
Plate full of cut up raw veggies: red peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons cream cheese
water
(This was the only healthful food available today since I didn't pack my own lunch to bring to VBS!)

Meal Three
Lunch at CiCi's Pizza with kids' and their friends:
Salad plate: lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli
1 tablespoon ranch dressing
Three slices pizza without the dough (scraped the cheese and pepperoni)
Water

WOD (Workout at Next Generation Crossfit)
Michael
Run 800 meters
50 sit ups
50 back extensions
Three rounds for time (23:39)

Meal Four
1/2 scoop protein powder
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons cream

Meal Five
2 oz grilled steak
1/4 red onion and 1/2 large green pepper (sauteed with olive oil)
1 cup broccoli w/ butter

What a day! I was bombarded with mexican pastries, homemade cinnamon buns, homemade cookies, and pizza! (This week I have been a volunteer at a local church during their Vacation Bible School--VBS). I kept on repeating this quote in my mind: "you have to know what you are going to give up in order to get what you want". I kept thinking about how much more I desire to feel and look healthy, than I desire to eat something sweet. And the battle wages on...I leave for Dallas tomorrow for another Crossfit Certification. I will be traveling with my hubby and another couple. I will try to keep logging on to post my meals to include Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (I don't have a lap top so this will pose a challenge :-) Worst case scenario, I'll post the meals on Monday. This will serve as a great opportunity to show how MFN.com eats on the road!

Wednesday, June 18th 2008

Meal One 8:00 am
1 egg yolk, 2 egg whites
1 slice ezekiel bread
1 tsp. raspberry jam
4 oz milk with 1 tsp. instant coffee
2 tablespoons of cream (in coffee)

Meal Two 12:00 pm
2 oz grilled @home steak
1/2 cup veggies
1/2 cup grapes
6 cashew nuts

Meal Three 4:00 pm
Smoothie:
1/4 avocado
1 tablespoon cream
water
1/2 cup blueberries
1/3 cup yogurt
1/2 scoop protein powder
stevia

Meal Four 7:30 pm
2 oz grilled steak
1 oz mozzarella cheese (skim)
1/4 cup baked sweet potato
1 cup raw mixed veggies & fruit (broccoli, celery, carrots, grapes, cherry tomatoes)
6 almonds




WOD (A Crossfit Workout at Next Generation Crossfit)

Front squat 5-5-5-5

85-80-95-105

Notice the difference in the two photos of my back:

One is before zoning
The second w/the brown dress is after 3 weeks of zoning.

I read this quote from Breck's Crossfit Jenk's website: "you have to know what you have to give up in order to get what you want."
So, all day today as I volunteered in a VBS Missions' theme room with the smell of homemade churros (mexican pastry) wafting up my nose, I repeated the quote in my head: you have to give up sugar in order to get the body you want." It worked! I would rather have a lean healthy physique than the few seconds of pleasure offered by a dessert (which will make me feel tired and bloated for hours too!) And the funny thing about carbs with empty calories is that they are ALWAYS available. There is never a shortage of sweets. Everywhere I turn, someone is offering me or (my kids) pizza, cookies, candy, bread, cake, lollypops, soda, etc. Let's face it, junk food has become a social past time. Eating is a way of making new friends, showing love to family members, and generally participating in the American culture. So the battle to eat healthfully wages on another day...

Tuesday, June 17th 2008

I started a business called MyFoodNanny.com. The basic premise is that I will serve as an eating coach for my clients who want to live a healthier lifestyle by choosing better eating habits.

I started in the month of May by asking some girlfriends to be my test cases. And in the month of June, I started with three new clients. So far it has been an absolute joy. I really think I have found my niche as far as careers are concerned. This business not only compliments our family business (my husband and I own Next Generation Crossfit), but it also gives me the freedom to choose my schedule and continue to do the other million things I love (being with my kids) and hate (washing dishes/cleaning) to do as a mother, wife, business co-owner, and homeschool teacher.

The only thing I've noticed is that while I am coaching others to eat better, I have lost focus in my own eating habits. It is hard to eat well in this world even when you are only taking care of yourself. When you add kids, spouse, and clients into the mix, it gets to be more challenging to remember to eat well for yourself.

My husband gave me the wonderful idea of journaling my meals on a blog. I thought this would be a great way to hold myself accountable, since I will make my eating habits public. And this is also an opportunity to continue coaching my clients as I relate my own daily journey of eating well for myself.

Starting tomorrow morning I will use this blog to journal everything I eat: the good, the bad, and the ugly! Hopefully, the motivation to be a good example to my clients will show more of the "good" and not so much of the "bad/ugly"!

If you are interested in finding out more about my program and services, please check back on my website in the next few weeks.

My website is not up yet, but my web address will be MyFoodNanny.com.