Don't Eat at La Thai

     Oh goodness, why do I let my mom pick restaurants?   She always picks a place I hate.  We went to La Thai on Prytania.  I scoured the restaurant website and I thought a salad would be safe enough.  We went for lunch and there was no wait.  The place is beautiful, really modern and sexy.  However, the food is the worst.  I ordered the beef salad, dressing on the side.  I took one bite and noticed a hair in my food.  GROSS.  I should have walked out, but my mom really likes the place and wanted to stay.

     They brought me another plate and it was mediocre at best.  I think the beef was coated in something because I have been sick since lunch.  I took a few bites, but for $16 I expect something edible.  The worst thing was that no one apologized for the hair.  They should have apologized or taken $5 bucks off the bill or something.  I didn't want to make a scene because my mama likes the place but never again.  I honestly hate going out to eat with her because I am always disappointed.

     We then went and saw Columbiana.  Zoe Saldana kicks major ass.  I didn't have high expectations going in and I don't want to spoil it but it was awesome. 

    I am in the middle of a plateau right now.  I am hoping that by changing up the things I eat every day I'll see some movement on the scale.  I'll keep you posted.  One positive change I have noticed is that my migraines have disappeared.  Usually, when I'm stressed or don't get enough sleep I get terrible migraines.  I had a hell of a week, but they didn't show up.  This is almost as good as weight loss.

Updates from Blogland

So it's been 12 days and honestly I have never felt better.  The only downside to my newfound primal diet is that I'm spending way to much time on Mark's Daily Apple and other primal/paleo blogs.  This community of people who are taking care of their own health is so inspiring.

Now for the stats...I have lost 9 pounds in 12 days.  My weight loss has stalled the past 3 days, but I know that's because I haven't been sleeping and my stress levels have been off the charts.  Work has been bananas and I have stayed up way to late.  I hope that I can catch up on sleep this weekend and get my hormones back on track.  My diet has stayed exactly the same (except for 2 bites of a Twizzler-yuck!), so I'm sure it's sleep/stress.

I have been reading the coolest blog lately.  The author writes about how snack/junk/processed foods are designed to make us fat (and never fill us up).

http://www.gnolls.org/2074/why-snack-food-is-addictive-the-grand-unified-theory-of-snack-appeal/


It's interesting, I never considered myself a big eater-but I binged like crazy on junk food.  It's like I could never have enough and never felt full.  I now know that's by design.  My diet isn't perfect. I still drink Crystal Light and my meal planning is imperfect but I really want to get to the place where my diet is:
-Mostly protein (Grass Fed/Wild)
-Organic/CSA grown (low GI/low carb) Fruits & Vegs
-Water (and homemade tea/lemonade-no Crystal Light/No Sweeteners)
-No Dairy
-No processed Foods (Nothing with a label-and NO GRAINS!)

Right now I'd say I'm on the path, but I'm not there:
-Protein: I do eat alot of it, but I buy it from Sam's Club and it's not grass fed.  For budget reasons this isn't going to change anytime soon.
-Organic Fruits & Veg: This is a matter of laziness.  We do have a CSA in Nola.  I just have to get off my arse and go.  However, Whole Foods is totally out of the budget
-Water: This is going to come last.  For now, cutting out soda & juice is enough
-Dairy:  I do eat cheese.  I will work on reducing this.  I only drank milk with cereal or with sweets, so that's not hard to cut out
-No Processed Foods:  Oh baby this is hard! Actually cutting out grains (bread, rice, starchy carbs) was easy because I recognize them.  It's the little things like the sugar/carbs hiding in spices or ketsup  that trip me up every time. 

As you can see I'm a work in process-but I'm getting there.  I'll post pics when I hit my first milestone goal.

I woke up this morning

and I honest to God, I felt transformed.  I was laying in the bed and I could felt my stomach.  It's only been about a week and my stomach is smaller.  I got up and tried on my 'skinny' jeans. They are not really skinny jeans-but they are a pair of jeans I bought about 6 years ago.  I have only been able to wear them a handful of times because I got them when my weight was much lower.  Since I wanted to see if this stomach shrinking was real or an illusion, I tried them on.  Hot Damn! They almost fit.  I could get them on without stretching or straining.  In a few weeks, they will fit me like a glove.  I swear I'm going to wear those bad boys every single day.

My diet is going well.  When I weighed in last Sunday (August 14th) I was at 231.8, today I'm at 223.8.  My mood has been decent (although I almost started crying at work yesterday when I couldn't print the ELA homework-I just wanted to print it and get the hell out of there).  I've been pretty snippy and had a few headaches, but that could also be the result of the weather changing and work being insane right now.

My meal planning is far from perfect-I am not drinking enough water and lunch has been a bag of 200 Cal. Nuts every single day.   The fridge at work is gross and I only have 20 minutes to eat.  I may try canned tuna/salmon/or sardines.  We shall see.  Today,  I am making chicken fajitas with No Beans and No Tortillas.  I will use the seasoning mix, I hope it does not trip me up.  Wish me luck!

In hiding for the last month

So it's August 14th and I haven't posted in over a month.  It's because I fell of the wagon.  I started a new job and got consumed.  My diet was the very last thing on my mind-evidenced by the amount of crap that I've eaten over the past few weeks. 

I have always struggled with a wicked sweet tooth and I am slightly obsessed with dessert. However, an interesting development has taken place over the past few days and I'm hopeful that it will  totally change my relationship with food.

Oddly enough, I have developed IBS.  I don't know why but whenever I eat something sweet I develop stomach cramps, diarreah, and the urge to vomit.  I have no idea why this has happened.  I honestly thought I ate a bad brownie.  So, I stayed away from the brownies.  Last night, I ate a piece of cheesecake and it happened again.  It's not happening with savory foods so I'm convinced that I'm developing some sort of intolerance for sugar.  I'm sad-but I also think of this as a blessing.  I can't control by diet through willpower alone.  This is my body saying Enough of the Crap.

I should be writing lesson plans right now, but instead I have been on Mark's Daily Apple and a slew of low-carb blogs.

I am still eating fruit because I think it tastes good and it's good for you.  I am going to try to cut down on dairy.  I am totally eliminating soda and sweets from my diet.  I am also going to try to eliminate grains and processed foods.   I weighed in this morning  and was at 231.8.  I want to be at 220 (ideally 215) by the end of the month.  I will keep you posted.  Wish me luck!

I fell off the wagon

but I'm getting back on.  I haven't posted because this is a blog about my diet and frankly the diet flew out the window.  When I was eating paleo, I had a ton of energy and felt great.  Eating my SAD (Standard American Diet) I felt awful.  I'm been sleepy, lethargic, grumpy, and have had a ton of migraines.  Tomm. I'll be back on my paleo plan for good this time.

It's weird all of the things I craved were kind of a let-down.  I ate pancakes for breakfast and they tasted like cardboard.  I ate lots of cake-but it was usually dry and not satisfying.  I want food that provides fuel for my body and makes me feel good.  I can't wait to get back on track.

The day I did everything wrong

Today started off bad when I weighed in at 222.6  No more black beans for me!  I skipped breakfast and didn't bring my lunch because I was craving sushi.  They make sushi at my local grocery store.  I asked for it wrapped in Nori instead of rice.  They said they couldn't do it.  I said "I don't mind paying extra'.  No dice and the salad bar didn't have one thing that fit my plan.

I checked the frozen food aisle, but they didn't have any S. Beach Frozen Meals. I only get 25 minutes for lunch so I headed back to school with bupkus.  At about 3:00 the hunger got to me and I ate a banana (leftover snack for the kiddos).  Didn't fill me up at all.  At 4:45 I passed out pm snack, it was trail mix with peanuts, raisins, and white choc. chips.  I ate a bag. I couldn't help it.

I did learn my lesson----BRING MY LUNCH NEXT TIME!  I am dreading weighing in tomm.

Evening Update-In hindsight, it's not the end of the world.  I passed on the pizza and other temptations at the store.  For dinner I had 3 pieces of center cut bacon and an omelet.  I made some tuna salad and will do better tommorrow.

It's a new day for me

and I'm feeling good.  Jennifer Hudson is not the only one singing that song.  After a tough day yesterday, I feel like I'm back in the game.  Today I made a delicious salad of chicken fajitas and guacamole.  I added a little bit of black beans.  A little while ago (on Mark's Daily Apple), I learned that beans are a carb.  For years, I thought they were proteins.  I thought that was why vegetarians ate them.  So, hopefully tomm. the scale will be moving in the right direction.  No matter what, I feel full of energy.  Since starting this diet my energy has skyrocketed, my sleep has improved, and my attitude is better. I feel made of win.

Overconfidence bites me in the behind

I ate something bad today, but I can't figure out what it was.  I know I had something bad, because it's 8pm and I am starving.  For the past few days, I've been very satisfied with my small meals but for some reason I am having wicked cravings right now.

I hope that by documenting this I can figure it all out:

Breakfast:  2 eggs (with cheese and veggies) and 2 strips of center cut bacon.  No problems there, I was full until lunch.

Lunch:  A handful of shrimp and stir-fry veggies.  I found leftover shrimp in the fridge (they were cooked in butter).  I coated the pan with Pam and used 5 spice powder and a bit of soy sauce.

After lunch I was still hungry.  I thought it was because I didn't have enough protein at lunch (the shrimp were tiny). 

3 PM Snack: 1 stick of celery and a small scoop of hummus

That held me for a bit, but by 5 pm I was still hungry.  I went straight for the meat.

Dinner: Some Ribs with BBQ Sauce.  It was sauce from Central Market (HEB is the bomb.com) and I could taste the sugar in it. 

I had protein so why am I starving and daydreaming about the goldfish crackers in the pantry when every other day has been pretty easy?

Just checked-the sauce had 7 grams of carbs.  Was that it?  Was it the soy sauce?  No more stir-fry until I figure this out.  Tomm. I am having the bacon/eggs again and making chicken fajitas. Wish me luck.

It's the freaking weekend baby and I'm have me some fun

I weighed in this morning at 222.  I was 233 6 days ago.  I know it's water weight blah blah blah.  It just feels good to have the scale moving in the right direction for once.

Happy Friday

Or I have gotten through my first week!  This week was challenging to say the least.  The first few days, I truly felt like I was detoxing from some bad s***.  I was like a zombie at work and was grumpy and rude to everyone around me (sounds pleasant, huh).  Luckily about two days ago I turned a corner.  I feel full of energy and am loving life.  The nutrition is going well.  I'm doing South Beach Phase 1/Primal Diet/Low Carb.  I have a problem with sugar and starchy carbs.  I can't eat them in moderation, so cutting them out works for me.  I have already lost weight and see a difference in my clothes.

I haven't worked out yet. It'll come....Right now, getting the diet right is the priority.  I had a hardboiled egg for breakfast, a salad and grilled salmon for lunch, and I'm going to eat some pork chops for dinner.  We had cake (2 Kinds) and Chocolate in the break room at work and I passed on both.  The kids offered me their crackers at lunch (because I usually am starving and scarf them down).  I'm telling everyone I have Celiac's.  It's just easier than trying to defend my diet choices.

Today was a good day

After feeling like a zombie the past few days, I think I've turned a corner.  I've slept like a baby (sans sleeping pill) for the first time in ages.  I was also starving this morning.  I ate some roast chicken at 11:00 and feel great.  I'm full of energy and raring to go.  Now if I can just work out!

Day 2 Update or This is hard

Today was not the business.  I drank the Naked Green Machine, but I was starving by lunch. I thought that stuff was the best, but it's 4 carb servings.  What the What?

Luckily, they were serving Chicken Fajitas in the cafeteria (something decent for once).   So I was able to make my own version of a chicken taco salad:
Grilled Chicken
Lots of Lettuce
Cheese
Salsa
Refried Beans

I skipped the tortillas, the Spanish Rice, and the Corn Salsa (That I normally down by the truckload).  I won't be appearing on Top Chef anytime soon, but it did the job.  When I got home I jumped into bed.  I have a wicked migraine and hope that tomm. will be better. I feel like I'm moving at half speed (My principal asked me if I was alright).  I know that if I can get through the week I will feel amazing!  Just a few more days, then it's back to normal.  I'll keep you posted and take some pics (eventually).

Now off to watch the Biggest Loser and the Voice.

Day 1 Detox

So I have been eating nothing but Junk for the past few months.  Too many donuts, cheeseburgers, and mega-helpings of dessert.  My body needs a rest.  I decided to do a detox.  I have done them in the past, when I drank too much or over-indulged and I find they help reboot my system. 

I am drinking Naked's Green Machine and eating low-carb for dinner.  In the past, I only had the drink for all of my meals but I need the protein.  I couldn't find the Naked this morning, so I bought the Bolthouse brand.  It was okay, but not as good as the Naked.  I had a few bites of roast chicken and some spaghetti squash and meat sauce.  I also had Crystal Light (Which I will never give up).

I have been reading up on the benefits of a low-carb diet for quite a while and think that's what I need to try.  I have wicked sugar and carb cravings (bread and sweets are what I dream about) so I think this is the ideal plan to help me kick the cravings.  For the next few days, I'll be having a bottle of Green Machine (16 oz, 300 cal total) during the day and eating a low-carb dinner. 

I am also spending a ton of time on Mark's Daily Apple.  They seem to have this figured out.  I have a major history of heart disease in my family (and my sweet mama just got diagnosed with 'the sugar') so I need to do something fast.  Hopefully, I'll have some great results to report by Friday.

I didn't work out today, but did move around alot.  I took my students to the park and it was a doozy of a walk.  Hopefully tomm. I'll either check out Curves or do a Liveexercise.com video.

Time for a Detox or What the hell is wrong with me

I have been overweight my entire life. I have used my weight as an excuse for a lot of things (I can't go overseas-I'm too fat; I can't date-I'm too fat; I can't move to California-I'm too fat). About two years ago I was laid off from a job I hated and I decided to use the time to do my own version of the Biggest Loser. I lost about 50 pounds and was in the best shape of my life. I discovered Zumba and Spinning and while I wasn't skinny-I wasn't shopping in fat girl stores anymore.

Cut to my birthday last week. I have regained 30 pounds. What the hell is wrong with me? I knew that my 'skinny' jeans didn't fit, but I didn't know I was moving so far in the wrong direction. I need to fix this ASAP.

Tomm. I'm going on a juice fast for a few days. I'm be swilling Naked Green Machine (it really is yummy) and visiting Curves. I don't want to rejoin my old gym. Frankly, I'm too embarrassed to set foot in that place. Everyone in that gym was hardcore and I can't take the pitying looks. I'm also going to try to purchase a Zumba class pass and get a physical (something I have been putting off forever).

I'm hoping that by keeping this blog, I'll be able to hold myself accountable, get to my goal weight, and stop all of the excuses.