December 31

breakfast: granola

lunch: roasted cauliflower and broccoli, lentil salad

dinner: pizza bomba, chocolate pot de creme

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Pizza bomba is just amazingly delicious. But then again, when isn't fried food tasty?

Things are beginning to quiet down. I haven't posted much for the past week or so, but I've been doing Callanetics every other day. It's nice just to be able to stretch and move my body. It just feels so much better.

December 30

breakfast: granola

lunch: atter kik, vegetable wat

dinner: baked sweet potato, roasted cauliflower and broccoli, custard

December 23

breakfast: pear, beaufort

lunch: huevos rancheros, salad

dinner: cranberry beans, baked potato, broccoli, passionfruit

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I've switched to workout out every other day. It's nice to have a couple of days off a week now, especially as the holidays come closer and the weather gets colder. I think my body enjoys have the days off. I'm seeing more changes in my legs, hips, and back.

Do Nothing Day

breakfast: vegetarian sope

snack: pecan pie larabar

lunch: salad, brown rice pasta with marinara sauce and mozzarella

dinner: cereal

It was so nice not to workout today. A bit strange, but nice. I am glad I did Callanetics for 19 days in a row. I used to never exercise, hated in fact. So to do such a big committment, to put up with the soreness, and to be maybe half a clothing size from a size 6 is amazing to me. I started this blog less than six months ago at a size 12. I'm almost at my goal. I'm really in awe that it's happened and that it's been so fast and easy. There were some setbacks along the way where I couldn't work out because I messed up my back and what not. But I'm here now. The finish line is so clearly in sight. I don't know or care how long it takes because I know I'll get there.

Callanetics - Day 19

breakfast: cream of brown rice with toasted cashews, raw milk

snack: apple

lunch: sushi, gomae

dinner: cereal

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Today's the last day of the 19-day Callanetics bootcamp. It's so nice to be done. However, it's going to be a bit strange not to workout tomorrow because it's starting to become a habit. I'm sure that's a good thing because it will make it easier to be consistent with workouts.

Doing 19-days of Callanetics is tough, especially during the holidays. It's a big time committment, but it does work. I can tell my body has changed and my form has gotten better. You don't have to do 19 consecutive days to get visible results, but Callan is right that 19 hours of Callanetics can produce big changes.

My friend, who I did this challenge with, has lost over 3 dress sizes. That's over a size a week that she's lost. And she's only lost 2 pounds. She's wearing clothes she hasn't worn in years, clothes she never thought she'd wear again. Best of all, she hasn't changed a single thing about how she eats.

It's hard to imagine why people slave away for hours in the gym and starve themselves on diets when you can transform your body in less than an hour a day with Callanetics.

Callanetics - Day 18

breakfast: oatmeal, apple, raw milk

lunch: tofu, broccoli, brown rice

dinner: pasta primavera

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I think 19 consecutive days of Callanetics would be a great way to prepare for bathing suit season. It's definitely a lot shorter than the weeks people usually prepare, and based upon my results, it works even better. You know all those dramatic photos on the 10/10 dvd, they're true. I've noticed similar changes in my body in the past 19 days. It's quite nice.

Callanetics - Day 16

breakfast: gluten-free bagel, raw milk

lunch: sauteed cabbage and carrots, brown rice pizza

dinner: steamed vegetables, lemon herb tofu, millet

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I really like the definition I'm starting to get in my arms. They've never looked this nice. Who knows what the next 3 days has in store?

Callanetics - Day 16

breakfast: egg in purgatory

lunch: vegetable soup

dinner: tofu rice ball, greens

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I can really tell I've gotten stronger. The muscles in my back, arms and legs feel so completely different. It's really nice.

Callanetics - Day 15

breakfast: ginnger-egg drop soup

lunch: tofu rice ball, pickled vegetables

dinner: cereal, apple

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm actually posting two days in a row. Wow! That's pretty good for this month. I know it was the norm until recently and it will become the norm again, but to have managed it is quite impressive to me.

4 more workouts to go!

Callanetics - Days 12-14

Sorry to everyone who has been trying to follow these posts about doing 19 straight days of Callanetics. I've read all of your messages. I'm still doing the 19 days. I've just been incredibly busy lately between birthdays, holidays, work, everything...posting has just taken a backseat.

I'm really glad there are only 5 days to go. It'll be nice to have an extra hour on day 20. Doing Callanetics for this many days does produce results. I'm so close to my goal (size 8's are loose now) that my results are slowing down now, but I'm getting a lot more muscle definition and posture improvements. I'm really happy with how things are going. This has definitely been worth it. If you can find the time to do Callanetics for 19 days in a row, go for it. If not, you can still get amazing results doing it 3-4 times a week. Whoever said you can't spot reducer was wrong.

Callanetics - Day 11

breakfast: 2 pears

lunch: lentil soup

dinner: egg in purgatory, greens with garlic

workout: Callanetics 10/10

My food today looks so meager. I had very little hunger, but I did eat high quality so that makes me feel good.

8 more days of Callanetics to go. I'm not sure that 19 consecutive days of Callanetics is the best way to go. I think the body needs a break in there not only for the muscles to rest, but to encourage it to tighten up a little more.

Callanetics - Day 10

breakfast: cream of rice cereal with apricots and toasted cashews, raw milk

lunch: lentil soup

snack: 2 pears

dinner: pasta primavera

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I can't believe this is only day 10. This month has been so absolutely crazy. With everything that's happened, I'd ordinarily have skipped a couple of days, but my friend drastically needs to lose weight and if doing Callanetics every day with her for 19 days helps, then it's worth it. She's gone down almost a clothing size already without changing how she eats. She also has a lot to lose so I imagine she'll lose the first couple of sizes pretty quickly. At least it's great motivation for her to keep going. Also, the workout doesn't have all the jumping and stuff that many cardio programs do, so it's easier on her joints.

Callanetics - Day 9

breakfast: ginger-egg drop soup

lunch: tofu and carrot scramble, avocado maki

snack: pear

dinner: lentil soup

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Callanetics - Days 7 & 8

I've been too busy to post much lately. I've now completed 8 continuous days of Callanetics. Definitely noticing a lengthening and overall slimming of entire body from head-to-toe. Working out for so many days in a row isn't easy, especially this time of year, but it's definitely producing visible results.

Callanetics - Days 5 & 6

Working out so many days in a row is starting to get easier. I think my body is adjusting and getting in the groove. I'm actually starting to get some definition in my arms. That's really a shocker to me because there was a time when I thought Callanetics wasn't much of an upper body workout. It's really proving me wrong.

Callanetics - Day 4

breakfast: cream of brown rice with toasted cashews and dried apricots

lunch: honey-lime marinated carrots, pickled cucumbers, pasta with pepper

dinner: vegetable soup

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm tired today. I wonder why. I'm guessing the tiredness will go away as my body gets used to working out every day. We'll see...

Callanetics - Day 3

breakfast: granola

lunch: 1/2 egg salad sandwich, carrots

snack: apple

dinner: brown rice cream

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm really liking the changes I'm seeing in my obliques. They're really starting to get some nice definition.

One thing doing this bootcamp has really shown me is how much easier, yet intense, Callanetics becomes the longer you do it. I'm so much better at relaxing with every move than when I first started all those months ago. It really allows me to work mucles much more intensely and deeply. I can only imagine that this means that if you ever took an extended time off from Callanetics that when you started again not only would your muscles be a lot sorer, but your results would come even faster.

I wish Callan was still putting out books, etc. so that I could get more info on exactly how Callanetics works - the theory and science behind it.

Callanetics Day 2

breakfast: buckwheat granola

lunch: kitsune soba, sauerkraut

dinner: open-face gf peanut butter-broccoli sandwich, raw cheddar

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm wiped from everything I did yesterday. Still got in a workout today. It's managed to wipe me out even more. It's 5:30 but I feel like going to bed. My arms, back, and legs are feeling tonight's workout. Interesting to see what the next 17 days will bring. I realized today I should have measured before starting, but as usual I didn't. At least the results of Callanetics are so visually obvious it doesn't matter. Size 6 here I come!

Callanetics - Day 1

breakfast: gluten-free pancakes, raw milk

lunch: falafel salad

dinner: gluten-free peanut butter toast

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Today is the first day of the 19 day Callanetics bootcamp. I have to admit that if I hadn't agreed to do this with my friend, I wouldn't have worked out today. Between doctor appointments, taking my mother to the airport, and a myriad of other things, I would have just gone to bed without doing a bloody thing. So, I guess this bootcamp is just as good for me.

19 Days of Callanetics

breakfast: sope

lunch: no time/opportunity

dinner: gluten-free pizza

Okay, very unhealthy eating today. I think my eating has been suffering a bit recently anyways.

A friend of mine wants to start doing Callanetics because of the great success I've had. The thing is she wants to do the "19 hour promise of drastically reshaping the body" in 19 days starting Monday, December 1. She wants me to do it with her to help motivate her. I have no problem motivating her, but 19 days in a row? I'm sure I'll get great results, but 19 days in a row? It's probably something that'll help me to get my eating back on line, but 19 days in a row? I know I'm going to do it with her because she really needs to get rid of a lot of body fat for health reasons. But 19 days in a row?

Not Gonna Do It

breakfast: cereal, apple

lunch: cumin-lime chickpeas, corn tortilla, roasted parsnips and carrots

dinner: eggplant with basil-garlic sauce, lemon tofu, brown rice, pickled cucumber, steamed kale

I'm not working out today. It feels kind of rebellious. I think sometimes you need a day where you just say no...let the little gremlin inside of you out to be mischevious.

November 24

breakfast: corn tortilla with tahini sauce, pear

lunch: roasted potatoes, sauteed spinach, chickpeas

dinner: salad, steamed kale, baked potato

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I know you're supposed to do Callanetics for 3 days straight after you've taken a week off from doing it, but I just don't feel like it. I had tremendous results in the very beginning without ever knowing about the 3-day-rule. I think I might just skip it this time and see what happens. Although, this is only day 1 so who knows how I might feel tomorrow.

November 23

breakfast: oatmeal with peanut butter

lunch: vegetarian chili

dinner: baked sweet potato, sauteed cabbage, apple

Milk Toast

breakfast: milk toast

lunch: vegetable soup

snack: milk toast

dinner: fried potato, steamed broccoli with tahini sauce, buffalo mozzarella

I know, it's really odd food today with all that milk toast. I haven't been able to eat for the last two days with the cold a cashier was so kind to give me on Saturday. Why didn't she stay home from work?

I've been wanting milk toast for days and finally had some today. It's the perfect comfort food. The only thing that would have made it better (a lot better, really) was if it had been made with bread made from my grandmother's recipe. Milk toast just never tastes right to me unless it's made with that bread.

Ouch!

breakfast: raspberries, granola with yogurt

lunch: sunshine burger, salad

dinner: roasted vegetables with thyme, cumin and orange juice; ginger-garlic tofu; chocolate pudding cake with raspberries

I've had a very sore throat since I woke up today. I was at a store yesterday and the cashier had strep throat. I hope I haven't caught anything from her. I think there's something to be said about not going to work when you're sick - all you do is infect everyone else.

So Hungry...

breakfast: cereal

lunch: sope, 1/2 quesadilla de maize

snack: granola with yogurt, raspberries

dinner: broccoli, chickpea and carrot bake, cereal, raw milk

I was so hungry today. It felt like just a few minutes after I was done eating, I was hungry again. I'm not sure what caused it. I haven't been more active lately or eating less than normal.

November 10

breakfast: banana, raw milk

lunch: huevos rancheros, spanish rice, salad

dinner: salad, brown rice tortilla pizza

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I had huevos rancheros for the first time today. I've never tried them before because I don't really like eggs, but my only other option was a chili rellono. I hate peppers more than eggs, and I can't have the wheat. I was quite surprised that it was actually good. The salsa completely covered up the flavor of the egg.

November 10

breakfast: cereal

lunch: baked sweet potato, cauliflower, tofu

dinner: brown rice pasta with marinara, salad

November 8

breakfast: pear, raw milk, gf peanut butter toast

lunch: sope

dinner: hummus, salad, piece Jaques Torres dark chocolate covered coconut

I think I'm going to have to buy new pants. I've been putting it off because shopping has never really been my thing. However, my pants are so loose they're now making me look fatter than I am. It's nice to think I have to go shopping for a size 8 - a single digit. I'm fairly certain I'm that size now given how droopy all of my pants are. I think it's still something that I'll have to see to believe, but it's nice to know that I'm either there or extremely close.

I don't really know how it makes me feel. My goal is still a size 6 and give the lumps I still have in some places I definitely think it's the right goal for me. I think because it's what I'm focused on, a size 8 just seems like part of the journey and is simply a signpost along the route. Don't think I'm complaining or upset because it is a very nice sign. I think I'm just experiencing a happy ambivalence. I think that if I do find that I am an 8 I will be quite ecstatic. It's just today I'm in droopy 10's.

Devil in an Apron

breakfast: cereal

lunch: Madras thali

dinner: rasberries, cottage cheese

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I went to two different Whole Foods today trying to find Devil in an Apron's chocolate covered pecan pie. Both stores have decided not to carry it anymore. However, I was told that if I wanted to drive several hours away, I could find a store that had it. Instead, these stores near me have decided to carry an extremely poor quality chocolate. I won't put the name on here because I'm sure the creator is proud of the product and doesn't think it sucks as badly as I do (as well as everyone I know). Why replace a locally made, organic product that can compete internationally for awards with something that makes Hershey's look like it's equivalent to La Maison du Chocolat and Michel Chaudin?

I remember when Whole Foods first started. It really tried to be about organic, quality food. Now the shelves are filled with conventional products. As the company evolves, every time I go into a new store, I can really tell the company has never had a business plan and understand why the owner did some illegal activities to promote his business that's gotten him to trouble. I wish Whole Foods hadn't put so many good health food stores out of business.

November 4

breakfast: banana, peanut butter

lunch: potato and bean enchilada

dinner: butternut squash with mint and toasted cashews, chard a la Lucy's teahouse, steamed tofu, quinoa

I'm so glad the election is over after today. Regardless of the outcome for anything, it's going to be so nice not to hear about it anymore, not to see commercials...just for everything to be gone. Living in a country obsessed with an election for 2 years has been tiring. I understand how important everything is, but I'm glad it's over.

Dirty Politics Disgust Me

I just discovered today that group that supports California proposition 8 (to prohibit gay marriage) has bought Google ads to support their political position. The ads are only showing in California. I have blocked them, but they make continue to show for a few hours.

I apologize for the political ads appearing on my blog for anyone in California. I do not support them in any way, shape, or form.

I never intended for this blog to be political. It is a diary for me. My diary would never be opposed to gay marriage. I believe all people should have equal rights, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else I might be leaving out.

I strongly support the Declaration of Human Rights which states that people should be able to marry whomever they desire regardless of gender.

I would never have posted my political beliefs on this blog, but I am so disgusted by the dirty politics being employed by a poltical group that I find morally offensive that I feel I have no choice but to state what I truly believe. I do not want to be associated with this group or their dirty political tricks.

November 3

breakfast: apple, pear

lunch: teahouse greens, buffalo mozzarella, tofu salad

dinner: potato and bean enchilada

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm Thin?

breakfast: beaufort and manchego with oat crackers, orange juice

lunch: lentils with rice and tomatoes, kale

dinner: steamed tofu, teahouse greens, maple-glazed carrots with dill, fried potatoes

I looked in the mirror today and I looked thin. That's never happened to me before. I've always been the fat one. It's really surreal. I don't know if it'll happen again tomorrow. It's definitely something that will take awhile to get used to. If you're life, you've been overweight to suddenly see yourself one day and see a thin person, it's strange. It doesn't seem real. I don't really know what to think of it. I definitely feel good about it, but I still haven't gotten my mind around it. I think I still think of myself as the fat one. I wonder when that will go away.

October 30

breakfast: oatmeal, banana

lunch: tofu with carrots and sesame seeds, pickled cucumber, rice

dinner: vegetable soup

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I'm really starting to get some nice definition in my legs. I haven't really been paying attention to changes in them because I'm more interested in my stomach. But it's nice to see cuts developing, inner thighs toning up, etc. I'm becoming a whole new person.

How to Be Naturally Thin by Eating More

breakfast: stewed fruit

lunch: tofu salad

dinner: vegetable biryani, dal, rice

snack: baked tortilla ships, salsa

I've eating dinner around 4:30pm the past couple of days. I keep getting hungry for a meal around then. It's been leading me to have after-dinner snacks, which I normally never want. I don't feel bad about it since I'm eating such an early dinner.

I remember reading a book a few years ago How to Become Naturally Thin by Eating More by Jean Antonello. It's the book that convinced me to stop dieting. It presented a lot of evidence on what diets do to the body, why they don't work, as well as explaining how to be naturally thin without dieting. I will admit I wasn't very good at implementing the techniques on how to be naturally thin. I'm finding myself doing them automatically now and I am getting thinner.

But back to my story. Jean spoke about how as you become naturally thin you'll begin to want dinner at around 4 pm with just a snack afterwards. My body is doing that. Also, as she mentioned, I've lost all desire for sweets. I just don't want them anymore. It's strange to go from wanting something sweet several times a day my entire life to not wanting any at all. Even if I see something that I enjoy - brownie, cookie, whatever - I don't care. I pass because I don't want it.

She also spoke about how when you're dieting, you can lose all desire to exercise. But when you get out of the dieting cycle, you'll just naturally want to move more. That's so true for me. I used to hate to exercise. Now, I can hardly sit still. I'm constantly finding things to do because I want to get up and move. It's really kind of interesting to think back on her book and how it's all coming true for me.

I've lost 15 pounds since starting this blog. I eat what I want when I want it. Since starting Callanetics, I can tell I'm gaining muscle and toning up. It's just nice to know that I can be thin by eating to my heart's content. It really feels good. I wish had the words to express this feeling better.

I recommend Jean's book if you're looking to change how you look and feel too. It's out-of-print so you might have to get a used copy of Amazon. She came out with another book - Breaking Out of Food Jail: How to Free Yourself from Diets and Problem Eating, Once and for All. Personally, I think her first book is better, but that could just be because I read it first.

October 27

breakfast: brown rice cereal with cashews and apricots

lunch: baked tofu, rice, cucumber, sauteed cauliflower

dinner: brown rice tortilla pizza, napa cabbage

snack: raw milk

workout: Callanetics Evolution

I know Callanetics Evolution is supposed to produce faster results than 10/10, but I really think the instruction could be better. For example, on one of the standing leg moves, two of the demonstraters have their legs at completely different angles and the instructor never tells you which way you should be pointing your leg. Both angels work different muscle groups.

I also feel like it's really taught as if it's expected that you've attended a class. Form isn't really discussed. It really just leaves you to figure out what to do. And they don't even tell you how many reps you should do for most of the moves. I really think it could be better. Give me bad 80's clothes and production with an understanding of what I should and shouldn't do, over a pretty set and confusion any day.

Whole Foods Prairie Bread

breakfast: Whole Foods prairie bread with peanut butter, banana

lunch: pasta primevera, salad

dinner: 2 taquitos, avocado, carrots

I tried Whole Foods' gluten free prairie bread today. Big Mistake! I can only imagine that eating it is just like eating a sponge in terms of both taste and texture. I thought that since it had sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc. it would have a nice flavor. Boy was I wrong!

Whole Foods carries a lot of brands of gluten free bread. The store brand looked like people bought it the most. If that's so, I really can't imagine what the other brands must be like. If real bread even remotely resembled Whole Foods' bread, bread wouldn't be so popular around the world. It probably wouldn't have taken off at all.

Lemon Tarts

breakfast: apple

lunch: cucumber maki, inari, 1/4 gf lemon tart

dinner: salad, buffalo mozzarella

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I tried Crave Bakery's gluten free lemon tart today. The filling was tart and lemony - not the best I've had, but it worked. I suppose that for gluten free the crust was okay. The crust was as thick as the filling and seemed more like a sweet cookie, almost a shortbread it was so dense. It really competed with the filling in terms of flavor, and simply disappointed me. I think the tart might do better if the name was changed to lemon bar.

Japanese Cooking

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: teriyaki tofu, potato, napa cabbage

dinner: corn tortilla, chickpea and potato curry, cauliflower

I really like Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional by Miyoko Schinner. It has the best tasting and easiest to make teriyaki sauce you can imagine. I've never really cared for bottled teriyaki sauces because the flavors can be so thick and cloying, too overpowering for the food. But Miyoko's is great.

I found her cookbook several years ago when I was trying to learn how to make vegetarian Japanese food. It's the only vegetarian Japanese cookbook I've found by someone who is actually from Japan. It really makes a difference in the recipes.

Everything I have tried is so good. From the Carrot and Tofu Scramble (not a Japanese version of scrambled eggs made with tofu, but a dish the author grew up eating as a child) to the Roasted Asparagus with Lime Ponzu Sauce. Her salad dressing recipe is my absolute favorite.

I hadn't picked this cookbook up in a couple of months and I don't know why. As I'm flipping through it now, I keep finding recipe after recipe that I truly love. I think I'm going to have to start using this book more often.

October 21

breakfast: brown rice spaghetti with brie, broccoli, and walnuts

lunch: smoothie

dinner: hummus vegetable wrap in a brown rice tortilla

workout: Callanetics 10/10 through stomach

Weird breakfast today, but it's what I really wanted. I added some more brie to the pasta and it helped. The broccoli still tasted a little odd in it.

I meant to do more Callanetics today, but it take me 1 1/2 hours to get that much done. I think once I started working out everyone decided to call me. I finally just gave up. I worked out for less than 20 minutes, but once I decided to quit the phone stopped. Who knows if it would have continued if I had kept working out, but I suspect it would have.

Brie and Walnut Bread - How I Miss Thee

breakfast: fruit

lunch: chickpeas in a mint sauce, salad

dinner: brown rice spaghetti with broccoli, brie, and walnuts

I love brie, especially on walnut bread. It's one of my favorite foods that I can't have anymore. So tonight I decided to try to throw together something that might come close to being a gluten-free version. I sauteed the broccoli in olive oil with garlic, then threw in some cooked spaghetti, toasted walnuts, and brie. The brie melted and formed a really nice sauce on everything. The broccoli was a little strong flavored for the dish. While it didn't come anywhere close to brie on walnut bread, it did turn out to be a fairly descent dish.

October 19

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: ribolita

dinner: baked potato with broccoli and vegan cheese sauce

I'm shrinking

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: chili, cucumber, salad

dinner: vegetable ragout

workout: Callanetics 10/10

My clothes are looser. My weight has stayed the same. I'm not counting calories, carbs, fat, tablespoons, or anything. Yet, my pants are looser in the thighs and waste, and my shirts are looser all over. I don't need to go buy new clothes yet, but I can see how that's eventually going to become a possibility. I've never cared for shopping for clothes. Darn Callanetics.

October 14

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: tofu salad

dinner: chili, steamed cauliflower

workout: Callanetics warm-up

The interesting thing to me about the warm-up to Callanetics is that even though it's called a warm-up, it's a full body workout that takes less than 10 minutes. You work your legs, waist, back, arms, and even neck. The moves in the warm-up alone can cause tightening and toning.

I've also noticed that the longer I do Callanetics, the more difficult it becomes. It makes me wonder if the impact I now receive from the warm-up is equal to what the entire workout gave me when I first started. I know I do the movements better, relax more, stretch more...everything more.

It makes me wonder why Callanetics disappeared over the years. It's effective, easy, and fast. Maybe people really just want to spend endless hours in the gym. I don't know... I feel like I'm starting to sound like a broken record.

October 13

breakfast: oatmeal, apple

lunch: rice, tofu, pickled vegetables

snack: peanuts

dinner: pasta primavera

October 11

breakfast: sope

lunch: gordita

dinner: sushi

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I really didn't feel like cooking today and it shows. The sope and gordita were made with several servings of vegetables so I still got in a pretty healthy diet. Vegetarian sushi never really seems to contain enough vegetables to really count like anything to me. I think you just end up filling up on rice, but it sure does taste good when made well.

October 10

breakfast: gluten free pancakes, raw milk

lunch: sweet potatoes and cabbage in ginger-garlic sauce

snack: popcorn

dinner: vegetable soup

October 9

breakfast: cereal

lunch: sweet potatoes and cabbage in a ginger and garlic sauce with a banana-carrot salsa

snack: popcorn

dinner: unstuffed shells, zucchini, broccoli

workout: Callanetics 10/10

My posture has improved so much in the last week. It's weird because I can't think of any Callanetics move that really focuses on muscles in the back or shoulders. Something has to. Maybe it's just a cumulative effect of all of the exercises.

Off Topic

A close friend of mine was just diagnosed with terminal cancer. I think she's the only person I've heard talk about wanting to be 40 - an age most people despair of reaching, but something she's depressed about because she doesn't think she'll ever see it. It's weird the things you think of some of the time.

She had a lot of options medically, but doesn't want to take any of them. It's like she's already decided to die. It's kind of weird to think about actually. On the one hand you hope of living longer than your expectant life, and on the other hand, you've decided it's all already over.

I wish the doctor hadn't told her how short of a time she has left. I think it would be nice to just continue living your life, not thinking about how many days you have left. Maybe you'd cherish things more if you did know it could be your last, but to have that black cloud hanging over you...to be thinking about how this is the last...I don't know. That's just me.

Food Rant

breakfast: protein drink

snack: 3/4 peanut butter cookie Larabar

lunch: poorathi chana, rice, mixed vegetables

dinner: brown rice tortilla pizza

workout: nothing - I think my body needs a day of nothing after everything

I think I'm almost back to normal from the wheat episode. My heart sometimes feels a little sore, but I suspect that what I now feel could just be related to it's insanely erratic behavior the past couple of days. I'd be tired and a little bruised if I spent days doing what it did.

I still can't believe a couple of bites of wheat did that to me. I've cut it out of my diet before and my worst reaction was gaining a clothing size in less than an hour. But now the effects from having it after cutting out gluten? It goes to show how even just having a little bit of something in your body can help cover the adverse effects of it. No wonder so mnay people eat foods and never realize that it bothers them. Wheat - one of the top allergens - is usually consumed by people every day. I wonder how many aches and pains and other "illnesses" would simply disappear if people knew what they were allergic/intolerant to and stopped consuming. How would it affect the medical industry? Would most of the pharmaceutical drugs in people cabinets suddenly become obsolete? I can definitely imagine sales of anti-depressants plummeting given how often depression is caused by food. It would just be interesting to know...

October 5

breakfast: gluten-free pancakes, raw milk

lunch: tofu and vegetables

dinner: chickpeas and split peas in a mint sauce, salad

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I can breath normally today. My heart is maybe 50% better. I'm hoping tomorrow it'll be back to normal.

October 4

breakfast: apple

lunch: pasta with marinara, broccoli

dinner: vegetable soup

Still feeling sick today from the wheat. No change in symptoms.

Wheat is Trying to Kill Me

Okay, I screwed up. I went out to lunch with some friends and had a panini. It was so good and I was so tired of saying no to bread - it's my ultimate favorite food, always has been. Now, I'm paying the price.

I think cutting out gluten has made me so much more sensitive than I ever was before. I never been this nauseous, etc. Before I was even halfway done with the sandwich, I began to have problems breathing, my heart started racing and beating so extrememly hard. If I had known that there was an extremely remote possibility that eating gluten again could do this to me, I would have gone to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack. It's been hours now and it still hasn't gone away. It's pretty scary. I know it'd be a lot scarier if I hadn't known gluten could do this, but the chances were so extremely small and I had so very few symptoms to begin with, why would I think I'd be hit with such a whammy? I think this has scared me enough to never intentionally eat it again. I never thought that eating something I love so much would end up with me feeling like it's trying to kill me.

Hopefully, it won't take too long for the sickness to go away. In the past, when I've ate wheat it would take 7 days for all symptoms to disappear. But I've never cut out gluten before. Even when I wasn't eating wheat, I still had spelt or barley every day. I just hope my heart and lungs feel better tomorrow.

October 2

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: vegetable minestrone

dinner: kichiri, kale, carrot, and tomato

workout: rest day

You know, today made me realize another thing I love about Callanetics: rest days. I had forgotten how nice it is to only have to work out 3 times a week for less than an hour to lose inches. I couldn't imagine going back to 5-6 days a week for 2 hours a day. It seems like utter nonsense now.

Happy, Happy, Happy!

breakfast: protein drink (banana, raw milk, raw protein powder)

lunch: mushroom and tomato omelet, salad

snack: granola with yogurt

dinner: polenta and broccoli

workout: Callanetics 10/10

My stomach's smaller! :) My clothes are looser. What's not to celebrate?

September 30

breakfast: 1/2 gluten-free bagel with peanut butter, raw milk

lunch: tofu and vegetable stir-fry

dinner: tofu, sauteed baby bok choy, baked potato

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Three days in a row of Callanetics done. I can see a tightening up all over, more definition in my legs, etc. It's so much easier to do a workout when you see results instantly rather than waiting ages and wondering if anything's happened.

One interesting thing about cutting out gluten: I've pretty much lost any desire for anything sweet. It just doesn't even seem appealing and it really doesn't sound good. Odd.

September 29

breakfast: granola, yogurt

lunch: caprese salad, grilled zucchini

dinner: tofu and vegetable stir-fry

workout: Callanetics 10/10

September 28

breakfast: granola, yogurt

lunch: veg hot dog, sauerkraut, bad potato salad

dinner: tofu, steamed vegetables

workout: Callanetics 10/10

The Nasty Glue is Back!

breakfast: 1/2 gluten-free bagel with peanut butter, raw milk

lunch: split spea soup

dinner: soba, broccoli, carrots, and cashews with a cilantro-garlic dressing

Well, the nasty glue is back today. I swear I've never smelled anything quite like it in my life. At least they're done today, so I'll never have to smell it again. Tomorrow, assuming the glue odor is gone so I can tolerate being inside, I'll start back with Callanetics. I know it's been a while and I've lost some of the results I've had, but at least I know it works fast so in no term I'll be back to where I was at, and even better.

Almost Over

breakfast: oatmeal with apricots

lunch: baked potato with broccoli and vegan cheese sauce

dinner: zucchini, brown rice tortilla pizza

I'm so glad the work on my house will be over tomorrow. It'll be nice to get back into my normal routine. Thankfully, the most-nasty-glue-of-all-time wasn't used today. I don't know what that stuff was, why they use something that bad, or how they can possible handle it without masks, but it was awaful. After 8 hours the smell still wasn't gone. If I had known they were going to use glue like that, I would have found a company more environmentally friendly to do the work, assuming such a thing exists at this time for this work.

September 23

breakfast: cereal, 1/4 gluten-free bagel with peanut butter

snack: baked chips with hummus

lunch: zucchini, unstuffed shells

dinner: split pea soup

snack: baked chips with salsa

Ate today from hunger and boredom. I have to be present for the work being done on the house and it's BORING. Not to mention that the glue they're using smells downright lethal. I hope one day my throat and stomach recover. I'm spending most of my time outside, but just a minute ventured inside leaves me feeling horrible.

September 22

breakfast: egg with marinara sauce, half gluten-free bagel

lunch: unstuffed shells, grean beans

snack: apple

dinner: veg. chili

I'm having work done on my house this week that will prevent me from doing much cooking. So I made some dishes this past weekened to have throughout the week. My meals are going to be quite repetitive all week.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to get much Callanetics one this week. I'm going to try. After what it did to my arms recently, I'm not sure if I should do it this week in case I actually need to use them.

So Tired

breakfast: egg with marinara sauce, half bagel

lunch: steamed green beans, baked tofu

dinner: steamed vegetables, unstuffed shells

I'm so tired today - absolutely no energy. Not eating gluten is supposed to reverse the anemia, but it seems like it's been so much worse since I stopped eating it. It really isn't fair.

Another 2 Pounds

breakfast: rice cake with peanut butter



snack: sope



lunch: potato salad



snack: sushi



dinner: egg with marinara sauce, half gluten-free bagel



I've lost another 2 pounds. I really think it's from not eating gluten. I was really hungry today as you can tell. I haven't changed anything about what I'm doing except cutting out the gluten. The sad thing is I don't think I could cut out gluten for the rest of my life. I know I'm supposed to, but I don't think it'll be possible. I really like bread - the taste, the texture, the smell, making it... I like baking in general. Gluten-free baking, yeah it's possible, but it isn't like the real thing.

Why Did I Ever Think Callanetics Wasn't Much Of An Arm Workout?

breakfast: apple

lunch: steamed green beans with tahini sauce, saag paneer, rice

dinner: half brown rice tortilla pizza, steamed zucchini, chickpea-hijiki salad

I can barely move my arms today. I don't know which Callanetics movement did it yesterday, but it worked them. My deltoids are just excruciatingly painful - I can't even lift my arms shoulder height. I used to think Callanetics didn't do much for the arms or back, but I do feel it in both places today. I was planning on doing another workout today since it's been a while since I worked out regularly, but I can't. Just the first three moves on Callanetics require you to lift your arms at least shoulder height. There's no way I can do that today. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

I Don't Remember Callanetics Being This Hard

breakfast: egg with marinara sauce

lunch: steamed vegetables with marinara

snack: rice cake with peanut butter

dinner: saag paneer, rice, chickpea-hijiki salad

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I did a full Callanetics workout today. It was much harder than I remember. My body is so sore. My legs can barely move. I know my form has gotten better than when I started, but who knew taking a couple of weeks off would result in this? Knowing how well Callanetics works does make the pain seem more positive - it's like I know it's working and it's working fast, so it really is worth it.

Gluten-Free Pizza Attempt

breakfast: half gluten-free bagel, cream cheese

lunch: green beans, sauerkraut, egg in marinara sauce

dinner: zucchini, carrots, brown rice tortilla pizza

I made way too much marinara sauce on Sunday and have been trying to devise uses for it. It tastes great, so I don't mind at all. Today, I decided to try turning a brown rice tortilla into a pizza crust by topping it with sauce, oregano and cheese. It actually worked. The sauce was great on it. The tortilla was crispy around the edges where there wasn't any sauce and soggy everywhere else even though I used a pizza stone. While soggy isn't ideal, it was far tastier and lighter in calories than Amy's gluten-free pizzas, which I find downright horrible.

I was extremely tired today so I decided to put off working out. I know it's not the smartest thing to do, but all I've wanted to do today is go back to bed. All I can think is it's residuals from the flu because I didn't sleep much while sick, but have been wiped the past couple of days.

Gluten Free Pancakes

breakfast: gluten free pancakes

lunch: pasta with marinara, salad

dinner: steamed vegetables

I tried Trader Joe's gluten free pancakes today. They actually look and taste like the real thing. I was quite surprised. It's the first time I haven't had homemade pancakes from scratch. It's kind of odd to put pancakes in a toaster and wait for them to pop up. But they were nice and it was nice to have something that seemed like it was made with wheat flour. The sodium content on them is a bit high so they definitely aren't something to eat every day. But for a treat or for when I'm missing gluten, it's a pretty good option.

Another positive: I think cutting out gluten is causing me to lose weight. I know I was quite ill recently and eating less, but it doesn't account for how much smaller I am. One week of eating less doesn't result in the loss of 10 pounds. I actually think I need to see if I can wear a size 8. My 10's are getting quite baggy. It's so nice to actually be starting to feel thin - first time in my life. My back hasn't hurt for almost 2 full days now. If it's still good tomorrow, I'll start back with full Callanetics workouts. I can't imagine what kind of an impact Callanetics might have on everything.

September 13

breakfast: apple

lunch: bean and cheese quesadilla, salad

dinner: sushi

Wow! It already looks like I'm eating healthier. It's interesting how simply making myself write this down here everyday automatically results in my eating healthier.

Back to Posting

I've been slacking off on posting lately. As usual, the quality of my diet has declined. Granted, part of that has been due to the flu and a highly decreased appetite. But I need to get back into the habit of posting daily, so I'm recommitting.

September 12

breakfast: gluten-free waffle

lunch: potato salad, brie, tomato, olives

dinner: potato salad

September 10

breakfast: cereal

snack: larabar

lunch: mixed vegetables, rice

dinner: frittata

workout: Callanetics warmup

I was told not to exercise until I was pain-free for 2 days. Well, that hasn't happened yet and I'm tired of not doing anything. The pain is a lot better than it was, so I did the warmup for Callanetics 10/10. It was nice to get a bit of a stretch and to just do something again.

Frustrated

breakfast: gluten-free waffle, raw milk

lunch/dinner: tofu bibimbop, pickled vegetables

I'm really starting to get discouraged. I was working so hard at Callanetics and was getting such great results. Then I hurt my back. Then I got the flu. My back is probably 90% now. Because of the area, I'm thinking of trying Callanetics, but I'm not sure if I should yet. But the main problem is this flu. I no longer have a fever, but now it appears that I get a coughing fit whenever I do any kind of activity, even eating. I really want to start working out again. I really want all of this stuff to be over. I really like Callanetics. It's the only exercise program I've ever been able to say that about in my life and it's not just because it works so fast. Yeah, that's part of it, but I like how relaxing it is. I like being able to just concentrate on one muscle group and forget about everything else. I like how calm and refreshed I feel at the end. This is all just getting so frustrating. I know it's only temporary. One day, I'll be able to do Callanetics again, but it's been weeks already. I think I'm just tired of it all.

September 5

breakfast: apple with almond butter

lunch: taro rolls, lemonade, rice cake with peanut butter, raw milk

dinner: steamed vegetables

Lunch was weird a weird combination today. Whenever I've ate for the past week, I've only wanted a couple of bites of something. I expected the same thing to happen today at lunch. Instead, it turned out I was hungry. I finished the taro rolls for lemonade and kept reaching for more. I really didn't expect to eat more than 1-2 bites of the rice cake, but I ate the whole thing and was still hungry. As strange and unbalance as the meal was, it's the first time since last Tuesday that I've ate a normal amount of food for a meal. Of course, dinner was only a couple of bites again. I was expecting to eat more after what happened with lunch, but no. This is the first day since last Tuesday that I haven't had a fever for most of the day. Between that and actually eating lunch today, I think this flue is almost gone. I'm so glad because it's hard for me to remember one ever being this bad.

September 4

breakfast: cereal


lunch: pasta with pepper


snack: apple


dinner: sauerkraut

September 3

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: peanut butter cookie larabar

dinner: extremely small portions of vegetable soup, tofu, sauerkraut

This is the weirdest flue ever. I feel fine in the morning, but by noon I'm exhausted and have chills and a fever. I seem to be starting to lose my appetite again. You'd think nine days of this would be long enough. I'm so ready for this to be over.

September 2

breakfast: apple

lunch: vegetable soup

snack: raw milk, rice cracker with almond butter

dinner: vegetable soup

I'm back

breakfast: apple


lunch: sauerkraut, couple bites of brown rice pasta with spicy peanut sauce


dinner: protein drink


I've had the flue for the past week. It's a really nasty one that's going around. I haven't been posting anything because I figured there was no point since some days all I had was orange juice. I will admit the flue is a great way to temporarily lose weight fast. I'm down 7 pounds. I'm really surprised that it's so much. I was only expecting 2-3.


I finally saw someone about my back yesterday. I've had 3 disks out of alignment. My back now hurts worse since they're back in alignment. The area's really swollen and feels bruised on the inside. Definitely no callanetics until the area isn't too sore to lay down on. I guess at least it will force me not to do to much to fast with the flue.

August 27

breakfast: cornflakes

lunch: hummus, cabbage, tomato, avocado, small piece Devil in an Apron's chocolate covered pecan pie

dinner: cranberry beans, sauerkraut, bok choy, potato

August 26

breakfast: cornflakes

lunch: cranberry beans, tomato, swiss chard, zucchini, potato

dinner: 2 grape leaves, marinated artichoke hearts, mozzeralla balls in pesto

I don't really have anything new to report. The only thing I can think of is that I went to a new farmer's market and found someone who has the best flavored produce - all organic. Everything appears to be picked when ripe rather than picked days or weeks to early. There's such a big flavor difference between produce picked when ripe and that picked green. I think most farmer's either don't know the difference or they intentionally pick it too early to promote longer shelflife. Overall, it's the consumer that suffers. You buy produce that looks like it's ripe, might need a couple of days (or in the case of pears - weeks) to ripen, and then when you go to eat it, there's nothing remarkable. Sometimes, there isn't even any flavor. But when produce is grown in the right kind of soil, the best quality seeds are used, and then when it's picked at the peak of flavor, it's unbelievable - it's hard to go back and eat anything else because it's so unsatisfactory. Your taste buds are so sentillated that you need much less food to satisfy you. It's heaven.

August 25

breakfast: gluten-free banana-date bread, raw milk

snack: apple pie larabar

lunch: utthapam with tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms

dinner: cranberry beans, potato, tomato, zucchini, swiss chard

August 24

breakfast: oatmeal with banana and peanut butter

lunch: seaweed tofu, chinese greens, carrots

snack: blackberries, peanuts

dinner: carrot and cabbage salad, cranberry beans, gluten-free pizza roll

The pizza rolls had way too much potato flour in them. They just turned to mush as you ate them. It's one thing if you're expecting to eat mashed potatoes. It's another thing if your dish turns into mashed potatoes.

My back is about 75% better, so hopefully I'll be able to begin working out soon. I really hope I haven't damaged a disk. I haven't wanted to see anyone about it because I don't want to find out if that's happened. I know too many people with herniated disks, had surgeries that didn't work, etc. I'm just thinking it's out of alignment and as the muscles relax it'll go back into alignment.

Gluten Free

I've learned I have to cut all gluten out of my diet. Thrilling! It feels like so much has been eliminated and eating out is virtually impossible. I know that in the long run and short run I need to stop eating gluten. My health will definitely improve all around. But to actually do it, it's depressing.

It happened again!

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: baba ganoush, hummus, french fries, Devil in an Apron chocolate pecan pie

dinner: cornbread, beans, sauerkraut, tomatoes, zucchini

I woke up Sunday and my back was bothering me again - worse than ever. I'm not sure what happened. It just got better and now this. It doesn't make any sense. I've never had back problems until the past couple of weeks. Weird!

I tried Devil in an Apron's chocolate covered pecan pie today. It is sooooo good. Devil is a good word to use for it. It's basically pecan pie without the crust covered in dark chocolate. Almost all of the ingredients are organic. It kind of reminds me of a chocolate turtles, but with a soft caramel. It's so worth every bite, and even though they're small, you can definitely get more than one serving out of them. I think if I were to eat the whole thing at once it would be too rich, just wouldn't be able to do it. But a couple of bites of that gooey, chocolatey, toasted pecan flavor...I don't think I'd ever grow tired of it.

Callanetics Bootcamp - Day 4

breakfast: peanut butter cookie larabar

lunch: sauteed baby bok choy, tofu, carrots

snack: grapes

dinner: green beans, zucchini, tomato, buffalo mozzarella

Yeah, I'm done! It's so nice to know that I can rest tomorrow. My muscles are definitely sore, but I can see a difference. Whoever said you can't spot reduce has obviously never tried Callanetics!

Callanetics Bootcamp - Day 3

breakfast: granola

lunch: salad

dinner: almonds, buffalo mozzarella

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I wasn't hungry today. I think I really only ate because I felt like I should eat something.

I was so tired I almost didn't workout, but I figured I started this bootcamp and I'm halfway through, no point in quitting now. I ended up only doing half the reps for each exercise, but I did it. My posture seems to be improving. My legs are changing shape, especially the quads and inner thighs - still a long way to go on that last part, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Callanetics Bootcamp - Day 2

breakfast: granola

snack: white nectarine

lunch: tomato-provolone sandwich

snack: almonds

dinner: tomato, swiss chard, buffalo mozzarella

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I can already see results! My stomach is definitely tightening and pulling in. Every muscle in my lower body is sore. I've really been concentrating on form and working to my max. It's amazing to see results already. I really wish I had taken measurements before I started.

Another positive: I think I've finally gotten the inner thigh squeeze down. I've never really felt much with it before, but today my inner thighs are the sorest part of my body.

Callanetics Bootcamp - Day 1

breakfast: banana, strawberries

lunch: cucumber salad, peanut butter cookie Larabar

dinner: brown rice pasta with zucchini, tomatoes, and feta

workout: Callanetics 10/10

I tried the peanut butter cookie Larabars today for the first time. They are sooo good! You can't tell they only contain dates, peanuts and salt. The peanuts actually taste like a peanut butter cookie. The bars are very filling, quite surprising for something so small.

I started the Callanetics bootcamp today. I probably should have taken measurements before I started, but I didn't even think about it. Even 1/8" loss is a step in the right direction. It's just only visible from a tape measurerer - such a loss won't exactly cause your pants to start falling down.

Callanetics Bootcamp?

breakfast: melon

snack: almonds, raw milk

lunch: caprese salad

dinner: roma beans, potatoes, cucumber

When I hurt my back, Jessi sent me a great site filled with a ton of information on Callanetics and comments from trainers. I've learned a lot since reading through it. One of the things a trainer mentioned was that you shouldn't go three days without doing Callanetics or you'll begin to undo some of the results. If you go three days without doing it, you should do it for 3-4 days in a row to get back into shape.

This reminds me of T-Tapp. You're not supposed to go 3 days without doing at least the BWO+ or you'll start to lose muscle. Whenever you're just starting T-tapp or have missed a week, you're supposed to do a full workout for at least 4 consecutive days. I don't remember all of the scientific reasons, but it's somehow supposed to change the physiology of the body and make it start producing results.

When I hurt my back, I missed over a week of Callanetics. I started back up last week, doing it a couple of times, but I didn't do it for consecutive days. Tomorrow, I think I'll try a 4-day Callanetics bootcamp and see what happens. I'll probably do the regular Callanetics 10 years younger program I typically do, although I'm sure I could do CardioCallanetics or Callanetics Evolution with similar effectiveness.

August 9

breakfast: avocado, banana

snack: apple with almond butter

lunch: vegetable quesadilla

dinner: green beans, zucchini, raw cheese

workout: Ballet Conditioning

It's so nice to look at what I ate today and feel good about it. To look at it and see how healthy it is - so many fruits and vegetables. It all tasted so good and was truly what I wanted. Okay, I'm proud of myself. I'll admit it.

August 6

breakfast: protein shake

snack: herbal tofu, raw cheese

lunch: pasta, vegetables

dinner: potatoes, green beans, tomatoes

workout: callanetics 10/10

I've been too busy to post lately. It's weird how sometimes things seem to blow up in all directions. Not just one or two things, but everything...in giant, apocalyptic, billows of smoke. And, yet, all the normal events of life still take place and have to be maintained. It really shows how no matter what's going on around you all the normal events of life are still taking place. It makes you wonder if any of it really matters. In the grand scheme of things, surely not. The world still spins. Life goes on. And yet things can seem so important to us or to others, but no matter what they are, do they really matter? Whenever you see someone, you never really know what's going on with them, in their lives, in their minds. You never know if their actions are being affected by something else, causing them to do things that they normally wouldn't do, to do something that even now, they don't even realize they're doing it. It makes me think of a story I once heard about a man who was allowing his children to run wild on the subway. They were bothering everyone and he wasn't doing a thing. When someone finally mentioned it to him, he responded, in a daze, "Oh, sorry. Their mother just died and I don't know what to do."

Not the Greatest...Not Sure What To Do

breakfast: granola

snack: popcorn

lunch: lasagna

dinner: atter kik, steamed broccoli, potatoes

I didn't eat as well as I could have, should have, today. Definitely a lot of carbs and fat in there. Need to up fruits and vegetables again. I don't know why trying to increase fruits and vegetables gets so boring. I do like them. I don't like salads, but I try to eat them. I'm sure if I liked them, I'd eat them more often, thus effortlessly increasing my vegetable intake.

I haven't been wanting to count calories because I know it doesn't work. Yes, you can get fast weight loss, but you end up hungry, moody, and ultimately gain all the weight back. I don't like being hungry. I don't want to go through all of that pain and suffering only to gain everything back and more. Then be in a worse situation than I am in now. But...there's the whole promise of actually seeing the scale move faster. It's like a catch-22. I don't know.

Beautiful Day

breakfast: apple

lunch: bean and cheese quesadilla, salad

dinner: lasagna, zucchini, green beans

Today was such a beautiful day. I went for a drive through a national forest. Such amazing views. There are gorgeous rolling hills that just make you think, boy, wouldn't it be nice to have a house there. Surrounded by nothing. Able to see in every direction for miles. Just amazing.

July 31

breakfast: melon

snack: buffalo mozzarella

lunch: salad

dinner: steamed vegetables with tahini sauce, bread, cheese

workout: callanetics 10/10

July 30

breakfast: granola

lunch: pasta with cabbage, carrots and tofu

dinner: caprese salad

My back felt fine today so I'm going to start working out tomorrow. I just wanted to make sure it was completely healed without a relapse after 24 hours. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised and the time off will shock my body into losing inches even faster.

July 29

breakfast: granola

lunch: hummus, melon

dinner: pasta with cabbage, carrots and tofu

My back is starting to feel better so hopefully I'll be able to begin working out again soon. I really miss it. That's the first time in my life I'ever said something like that. It used to always be such a dreaded chore to me. Now, I want to move more, etc. It's strange to have my thoughts about exercising change. Finding something I enjoy probably helps.

Weird Reaction

breakfast: protein shake

lunch: salad

dinner: hummus, salad, banana

I don't know what happened at dinner, but my mouth swelled up and I had a lot of trouble breathing. I've never had a reaction to food like that before, especially such benign food. None of it's stuff people are generally allergic to. I eat it all the time. The person I ate dinner with didn't have a reaction and they ate the exact same thing. It was pretty scary, but at least it passed.

I'm really tired of my weight not changing. It's strange. My clothes are fitting better, but no weight change. I know I could be putting on muscle and that ultimately it's more important how you look and feel, but I guess I just want more. I know it's just a number, but it would be nice to see it go down.

Not Taking the Time

breakfast: granola

snack: buffalo mozzarella

lunch: veggie burger (no bun), baked fries

dinner: blueberry muffin, sauerkraut, cheese

I was so busy today, running around doing things, that I never took the time to eat properly. And it shows. I waited to long to get hungry, was too lazy to fix a proper meal/cook. Not the healthiest of days by far. I don't feel good eating this way. I definitely feel better when I eat more balanced throughout the day with more fruits and vegetables.

Blueberry Muffins

breakfast: blueberry muffin, raw milk

lunch: gordita

dinner: blanched potato with a touch of sesame oil, steamed vegetables, buffalo mozzarella

I made the most amazing blueberry muffins from Grain-free Gourmet . They don't contain sugar, dairy or flour. Instead, it's just ground almonds. They were a little crunchy because I didn't grind the almonds fine enough, but they were soooo good. No one could tell they didn't contain flour, sugar or dairy.

I think what I like best about the muffins is the color - a nice, rich, dark purple. The blueberries are cooked until their juices come out and then they're added to the batter. So instead of having a muffin with little blue dots throughout it, the entire thing is the color of blueberries. It really brings out the flavor of the blueberries and every bite taste like you're eating one. I never thought of doing this before, but I really like it. I'm going to have to try it with other fruits.

No Back Pain: New Goal?

breakfast: raw milk

lunch: baked falafel, tahini sauce, sauerkraut, salad

snack: plum

dinner: potato salad, cannelini beans

I just finished a goal of one month without sweets. Now I'm wondering if I should aim for a one month goal of no back pain. I know my back hasn't hurt for very long, but it's never hurt like this or this badly before. It did pop tonight, so maybe that's a good sign - some of the pressure was relieved or it was just out of alignment.

Day 31 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein shake with too many blueberries

lunch: rice, baked falafel, sauerkraut, carrots

snack: grapes

dinner: pizza, sauerkraut

I still didn't eat any sweets today even though I'm no longer intentionally avoiding them. I just never thought about them. It's nice to no longer be controlled by a food group.

I think I did something to my back over the weekend while redoing the yard. It hasn't been feeling well at all. So I'm thinking I'm going to stop working out for a while, at least until I can do simple things like sitting and standing without excruciating pain. I guess it'll be a good test to see how long you can go without doing Callanetics and Ballet Conditioning and yet have the results last. Hopefully, they last a very long time. Not that I'm intending to be in pain for that long. But it'd be nice to know you could got a week without seeing a huge backslide, or any backslide really.

Day 30 - No Sweets

breakfast: raw milk, oatmeal

lunch: tofu, steamed vegetables

snack: blueberries

dinner: potatoes, green beans, salad

I really don't know what to write today. I woke up. I ate. I didn't eat sweets. I took the day off from most things and just decided to relax.

Day 29 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein shake

lunch: gordita

snack: raw cheese, raw crackers

dinner: half a veggie burger

workout: finished landscaping yard...rather had to stop because I ran out of mulch. It's amazing how much is needed. Thought 10 bags would be now, not even close.

Only 1 day without sweets left. Doesn't really seem like a big deal. At this point, I don't care if I have them or not.

Day 28 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein shake

lunch: falafel, salad

dinner: tofu and pickled vegetable sandwich

workout: callanetics 10/10

I'm really tired today. I don't know why. It's been a pretty eventful week, so maybe that's why.

Day 27 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein shake

lunch: brown rice pasta, large salad

snack: nuts

dinner: oatmeal, plum

workout: Callanetics 10/10, 30 minutes HIIT

3 more days until I can have sweets again! I don't miss them at all, but it'll be nice not to have to pay so much attention to what's in food. I think eliminating sweets for a month was definitely the right things to do. I no longer think of sweets as a quick pick-me-up when I'm feeling tired and they're not an automatic food I reach to when I want a snack.

I've been having a protein shake for breakfast every day this week. I'm not snacking in the mornings like I was. I've been making them with a raw hemp chocolate protein powder that is sooo good. It has no sweetener in it, but it tastes amazing.

Day 26 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein shake

lunch: brown rice and tofu

snack: plum, nuts

dinner: brown rice pasta, green beans

workout: ballet conditioning

Day 25 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: potato pancake, zucchini, tomatoes and chickpeas

snack: nectarine, nuts, raw cracker

dinner: avocado, tomato, basil, cheese sandwich

workout: 30 minutes HIIT

I shouldn't have had the sandwich. Wheat is just evil. My stomach is so bloated now. It's like I gained I gained a clothing size in under an hour. Well, it's not like I did, I actually did. I know I shouldn't have ate it, but it sounded so good. Sometimes it's so hard to avoid wheat because I truly enjoy it. I know it's really bad for me, it makes me fat, it makes me tired, it causes cold sores, and a variety of other problems for me. But sometimes it has so much going for it... I always regret eating it as soon as I'm done, but while I'm eating it, it's simply heaven.

Day 24 - No Sweets

breakfast: protein drink

lunch: carrot and cucumber salad, tofu, savoy cabbage with tomato

snack: peach, nuts, 5 baked corn chips with salsa

dinner: potato cakes, zucchini, tomatoes, and chickpeas

workout: Callanetics Evolution, 35 minutes HIIT

I had the most amazing 4 day weekend away. It was so nice just to get away from everything and visit with friends. Work seems to have become the focal point of so many of our lives, that we often forget about living and doing things that we enjoy. I believe our life is meant to be spent living, not working, slaving away for someone else day after day. With the advent of cell phones, it's like you can never get away. Vacations aren't really vacations. People don't leave you alone. They still call, even for the most trivial things. Even if you're so sick you can't get out of bed, you're still expected to be available. There's so much more to life than work, but it seems like work takes up pretty much everything.

Enough with that rant.

I've decided to try adding some high intensity interval training to my workouts. I want to speed up results, as well as increase my cardio conditioning. I've realized that I don't just want to be thin, I want to get into great shape. Talk about a shift in focus.

I know Callanetics works by using the small muscles that most workouts neglect, that's why it can produce such fast results. But I wonder how it works at truly shaping the body, the way an athlete's body can look. People in Callanetics videos are thin, but if you look at the early ones, they don't really look like they're in shape. Callan is definitely able to do a lot of moves and make them look easy, moves that require a lot of strength, but she's never really looked like she's in great shape to me. Maybe I'll have to rethink my workouts some. Add some stuff in here and there.

Day 19 - No Sweets

breakfast: oatmeal with apricots

lunch: masala and paneer dosa, plain lassi

dinner: greens, tofu, pickled vegetables

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Okay, both Ballet Conditioning and Callanetics really work my body. I can feel the muscles screaming at me. But, Callanetics is so relaxing it's additive. The time goes by so quickly it's like I'm done moments after I started. Granted, I do think the pain in Ballet Condition is also addictive, but it's anything but relaxing. It's painful, a good pain, but pain nonetheless. The two workouts are so similar, but so different. I'm definitely not getting tired of either of them.

I never thought I'd say that about a workout - not getting tired of it. I used to always start working out and then get bored, no matter how often I rotated workouts. Everything just seemed so similar. Of course, I didn't get the results I'm getting now. I do think being able to see changes so quickly is helping with the motivation, but I still enjoy doing both of these workouts. It's the first time in my life I've ever looked forward to working out. I just know I'm going to feel so good afterwards.

Day 18 - No Sweets

breakfast: strawberry smoothie

lunch: summer minestrone, pain au levain

snack: brazil nuts

dinner: raw crackers with hummus, popcorn

workout: ballet conditioning

I had such a strong craving for popcorn tonight. I had the crackers with hummus to try to insert something healthy into my body in place of the popcorn. The flavors are kind of similar. But, no, it had to be the popocorn. It turns out I only wanted a few bites and was set for the evening. I wonder what it is in popcorn, or corn in general, that my body was craving.

Day 17 - No Sweets

breakfast: strawberry-almond smoothie

lunch: deviled egg, avocado, steamed green beans, raw cheese

snack: plum, brazil nuts

dinner: summer minestrone, peach, date

workout: Callanetics 10/10

It's so nice to have so much summer fruit in season finale. So many times a day I can pick so many juicy flavors to explore, each different and exciting. They taste so much better than any cake or cookie. It's definitely easy to avoid sweets at this time of year - produce more than makes up for it. Now, with corn in season sweet foods are everywhere. It should be so easy to lose weight this time of year. Food is so much lighter and healthier. It isn't dense and heavy like winter squashes. It's filled with water and so many flavors, each unique unto itself. Summer is truly a treat for the taste buds.

Day 16 - No Sweets

breakfast: raw milk, peanut butter toast

snack: peach

lunch: tomato, sauerkraut, steamed vegetables, tofu

snack: peanuts

dinner: brown rice pasta with tomatoes, zucchini and corn

workout: relandscaping yard

I've been redoing my yard this weekend. It's definitely a great full body workout. A gopher decided to inhabit it for a while, dig holes everywhere, and break the sprinkler system. All the old grass is now dug up. The sprinkler system is repaired. Just adding new soil and plants is left. It's supposed to be extremely hot the next couple of days, so I probably won't finish it until next weekend. Even though it's currently just a mass of dirt, it already looks better than the gopher hole swiss cheese appearance it had before.

Day 15 - No Sweets

breakfast: melon, raw milk

lunch: bean and cheese quesadilla

dinner: gordita, buffalo mozzarella, salad

workout: relandscaping yard

Day 14 - No Sweets

breakfast: bread and cheese

lunch: green beans, salad, pizza

snack: nuts, fruit

dinner: green beans, potatoes

workout: relandscaping yard

Day 13 - No Sweets

breakfast: focaccia, raw cheese, raw milk

lunch: sushi, couple of pieces vegetable tempura

dinner: tomato, lettuce, cheese sandwich

weight: -1.5 pounds

It's so nice to see the scale going down. I wasn't very hungry today. Yet, I probably still ate twice what I wanted. For both lunch and dinner, I was no longer hungry about halfway through, but I still kept eating. I don't know why. It was just stupid. Oh well, tomorrow's another day.

Day 12 - No Sweets

breakfast: oatmeal with apricots

snack: focaccia with tomato, avocado, raw cheddar, and balsamic vinegar

lunch: chickpea patty, raw cracker with peanut butter, sauerkraut

dinner: tomato and cucumber salad, tofu, potato, melon

workout: Callanetics 10/10

Today was a hungry day. I probably could have ate more after lunch, but I got tired of eating. I'm not sure why I was so hungry today. I don't think my activity level has increased or anything. If I wasn't avoiding sweets, I normally would have reached for cookies or something similar to quite down the hunger. Those wouldn't have satisfied me nearly as well, so I'm glad I've cut out sweets. I feel so much better and it's easier to make healthier food choices.

I just started measuring on Monday. I decided to remeasure today because I thought I was more toned. I've already lost 1/4" off both my waist and my hips. I think that's pretty good for 3 days. The combination of Callanetics and Ballet Conditioning seems to be working very well.

Day 11 - No Sweets

breakfast: 1/8 baguette with avocado and cheese

snack: raw milk

lunch: raw nori crackers with peanut butter and parmesan

snack: couple bites granola

dinner: chickpea patty, avocado, french fries

workout: callanetics warm-up, 30-minute walk

Not the healthiest today. I so didn't feel like fixing anything for lunch. At least the crackers and chickpea patty had vegetables in them. Tomorrow, I'll do better. Even if you're lazy, you have to eat decently.

Day 10 - No Sweets

breakfast: 1/8 baguette with avocado and raw cheese

snack: raw milk

lunch: pasta, tofu and vegetables in a peanut sauce

snack: strawberry-yogurt smoothie

dinner: egg salad on rye bread; tomato and cucumber salad

workout: Ballet Conditioning, 1 hour walk

Since cutting out sweets, it's becoming so much easier to eat healthy. I'm naturally gravitating towards more fruit and vegetables. My body really know what it wants and needs, I just don't think I've been able to hear it because the cookie jar was a little louder.

I'm also noticing that when I eat sandwiches lately, I don't want two pieces of bread - just one. It's like there's just too much bread and it takes away from the filling. And, yet I'm someone who loves bread. I could never do a low carb diet because I would never want to give up bread. For me, it really is the ultimate comfort food. The smell if it right out of the oven. The sound of the knife cutting through it. The taste... It's all so heavenly to me. I wish I had some baking now.

Day 9 - No Sweets

breakfast: 1/8 baguette with buffalo mozzarella

lunch: 1/8 baguette with buffalo mozzarella, avocado, tomato, and balsamic vinegar, melon

snack: strawberry-yogurt smoothie

dinner: pasta, vegetables and tofu in peanut sauce

workout: callanetics 10/10, 30 minute walk

It was so good to do a full Callanetics workout today. It's tough but relaxing. I really enjoy how you just focus on the part of the body that is being worked, allowing all other muscles to relax as much as possible. I always feel so good when I'm done.

Day 8 - No Sweets

breakfast: raw milk

snack: vegetarian tamale

lunch: black bean tamale

snack: raw spanish cheese, foccocia

dinner: brie and raspberries in filo, zucchini, chard, tomatoes, and black beans

Today was all about errands and house maintenance - silly things like touching up paint on walls and putting new hinges on cabinets. It's amazing how easy and fast such things are, how big of a difference they make, and yet, how easy it is to put them off.

I've now completed one week without sweets. It's amazing how much easier it was to cut it out this time than when I tried before. I didn't have any brownie fantasies or anything. I guess the sweets were easier to get out of my system this time. I rarely eat sugar, opting for natural sweeteners. It's interesting how addictive even they can be. I don't know if it's the sweetner itself that's addictive, or the delicious flavor, or a combination of both. I really do enjoy the flavor of sweet foods. I'm glad I'm now turning more to fruits and sweeter vegetables.

Day 7 - No Sweets

breakfast: oatmeal with dried apricots and ginger

snack: raw milk

lunch: caprese sandwich

dinner: tofu sandwich, steamed zucchini and green beans

Every muscle in my thighs is sore today. I don't think there's a single section that doesn't feel like it was worked thoroughly yesterday. Unfortunately, I had to do a lot of walking today and my legs screamed in protest with every step. I'm so glad I know this is worth it - no pain, no gain, right? It might already be bikini season, but at least I'm on my way to being in great shape for the holiday season. Is there a season between bikini season and holiday season? I can't think of one, but if there is, at this rate, I'll probably be ready for it too.

Day 6 - No Sweets

breakfast: strawberry-yogurt smoothie

lunch: tomato-tortilla soup, edamame

snack: tomato-tortilla soup

dinner: strawberry-pecan-parmesan salad with balsamic vinaigrette, steamed green beans, rye bread with almond butter

workout: ballet conditioning, 45-minute walk

Okay, Ballet Conditioning is a killer. There's no other way to put it. It has to be one of the toughest lower body workouts out there. About 8 minutes in, I was wondering if I would be able to finish. Thankfully, it did get a bit easier as my muscles warmed up more...but still - it hurts! I think what makes it harder is that you're working your entire body with every move. If you just look at the moves, it seems like all you're doing is working your legs, but it's also getting your back, stomach and arms. I think the only thing that got me through it today is the phenomenal shape the instructor is in. I kept thinking that maybe if I kept at it I could look that good. She's clearly in great shape from head-to-toe, but without the bulkiness that people who lift a lot of weights can get.

One positive: I can walk better today after this workout than I could the last time. My legs don't feel like they're quivering and about to collapse.

Day 5 - No Sweets

breakfast: strawberries, greek yogurt, granola

snack: raw cheese, spelt cracker with almond butter

lunch: zucchini cakes with tahini sauce, tomato

dinner: pita pizza with buffalo mozzarella, sauerkraut

I'm still sore and tired today, so I've decided to take today off from working out.

Day 4 - No Sweets

breakfast: 2 banana-oat bundle, raw milk

snack: spelt cracker with almond butter

day-old-bread baked with a tomato sauce, cucumber

dinner: tofu salad

workout: quick callanetics stomach

Very tired and sore today from yesterday's ballet conditioning workout. So glad I don't have to climb a lot of stairs.

Ballet Conditioning

A friend has been trying to get me to try Ballet Conditioning for a while now. I have to admit she’s been looking great since starting to use it. But I’ve had such great results with Callanetics, I haven’t wanted to try anything else. I did do a Yoga DVD a while ago. Even though I enjoyed it, I’ve only done Callanetics since. I mean, come on, a workout where all you’re told is to relax. There’s no running, jumping, or anything. Yeah, I have to modify the moves since I don’t have a ballet bar, but people keep commenting on how it looks like I’ve lost weight even though my weight has stayed the same. I’m just trying to eat healthy, but failing a lot of the time.

But, my friend has been getting on my nerves a bit over how I “have to try” Ballet Conditioning.

You know what that’s like.

So, I decided to try it today just to get her to leave me alone.

All I can say is wow! About 10 minutes in, I started wondering if I was going to be able to walk tomorrow. Halfway through my arms started calling me bad names. By the end, I just wanted to lay on the floor in a puddle.

Whenever I do any kind of a workout, I almost never sweat. This time I was dripping. I really don’t get it. You spend most of your time holding onto the back of a chair while lifting your leg slowly. What’s sweat inducing about that? Granted, I could feel it in every muscle of my body by the end – back, stomach, arms, etc. But sweat? I must have been doing a lot more than I realized.

Right now, I’m not sure how I’m going to make it into my bed. My legs think I’m absolutely evil for doing that to them…in a good way of course.

I’ve never done ballet before so I guess I never really knew what the big deal about it was. But, I really think I need to do this workout often. I still plan on doing Callanetics because it’s been doing amazing things for me. I have wished it had more for the back and arms. The Ballet Conditioning should add that...as well as more for the legs and the stomach and everything in between.

My teeth aren’t sore and tired. I guess that’s a good thing. I think maybe they, along with my ears and hair, are the only part of my body that aren’t sore right now.

I think the one scary/motivating thing is that this workout is clearly one that will get harder the more I do it. It really is only as hard as you make it. I guess that makes it good for all levels of exercisers. I don’t know. The way I feel right now, I’m definitely a beginner beginner. One day, I might make it to beginner, but I’m not there yet.

Day 2 - No Sweets

breakfast: small banana, pint strawberries

snack: raw milk

lunch: roma beans, potato salad

snack: cracker with peanut butter

dinner: day-old-bread baked with a tomato sauce, cucumber, steamed zucchini

workout: Ballet Conditioning

Day 1 - No Sweets restart

breakfast: 2 small bananas, pint strawberries

snack: raw milk

lunch: potato salad, zucchini, chickpeas, tomato

dinner: roma beans, boiled potato, sauteed savoy cabbage

I restarted my 30-day no sweet challenge today after Saturday's slip-up. It was a lot easier today than when I first started avoiding sweets. No thoughts of brownies or anything. I'm definitely feeling better without the sweets - more energy, everything.

The Best Mexican Food Around

breakfast: vegetarian gordita, horchata

lunch: vegetarian gordita

dinner: potato salad, carrots, cucumber

I blew it today. I was avoiding sweets, but failed. I didn't even think about the horchata being sweetened until I was almost done with it. However, I will admit that it was the perfect cooldown drink for hot weather. What's not to love about something that tastes like a drinkable rice pudding...all that cinnamony goodness?

---

I grew up in Southern California. I was so lucky to be surrounded by great Mexican food while there. I moved away about 8 years ago and have been looking for good Mexican food ever since. Pretty much every place I've tried has left me seriously disappointed.

But about 3 weeks ago, I went to a different farmer's market and there was a food stand there selling items you very rarely see in restaurants - gorditas, sopes, traditional quesadillas made with corn. And it was sooooo goood. Everything is made with fresh masa - which, if you've ever had, you know that there's no way you can go back to the commercial stuff in a bag. This place is just so amazing I think I'm in heaven. I've been going back every Saturday just for breakfast.

It turns out the owner grows all of her the fruits and vegetables she uses organically (her husband is an organic farmer). She even grows the corn she uses to make fresh masa. Her sour cream is also homemade. And what's even more amazing is that during the summer and fall she has a restaurant about 20 minutes from me. It just opened up again this past week. I don't think it'll be hard for me to find an excuse to go. After all, if I ever decide I want something healthier than a gordita, I can always go for a tamale.

Day 5 - No Sweets

breakfast: melon

snack: buffalo mozzarella

lunch: couple bites of popcorn

dinner: tiny portion pasta w/chickpeas, tomatoes and zucchini

It was so hot today I had absolutely no appetite. Days like today would probably be good for weight loss because you wouldn't feel like eating. You also don't feel like moving so it might negate any decrease any calories. Thankfully Sunday is supposed to be 15 degrees cooler. Only one more hot day to go! I hope the weather forecasters are right.

Goodbye heat!

breakfast: apple, buffalo mozzarella

snack: strawberries

lunch: tomato and goat cheese quiche

snack: strawberries

dinner: melon, popcorn

workout: 45 minute walk

It's so hot today and tomorrow is only supposed to be hotter. Heat that isn't supposed to take place until August has been occurring regularly since April. There have been more super hot days already this year than the last two years combined. I live in an area where you shouldn't need air conditioning, but I sincerely wish I had it now.

I've never been one to enjoy the heat. Autumn weather is always my favorite - just before it takes on the crisp chill of winter. I think 73 degrees is my ideal...anything hotter than that and I begin to feel like a wilted flower. I'm looking forward to next week when it's supposed to be cooler.

Day 4 - No Sweets

breakfast: granola

snack: cheese

lunch: portabello and sundried tomato tartine, peach

snack: nectarine, peanuts

dinner: vegetable stir-fry, buffalo mozzarella, hazlenuts

workout: callanetics 10/10

When I look at what I've been eating today, I'm thorougly disappointed. I need to have so many more vegetables and fruit. I think I eating better when I started the day with fruit. I also think I'm starting to rely on cheese and peanuts too heavily. At least the great thing about writing all of this down is that it makes it really easy to see and correct things before they become too much of a problem.

Still want a brownie...

Day 3 - No Sweets

breakfast: granola

snack: ollalliberries

lunch: baked chickpeas, tofu ball, sauerkraut

dinner: kale with soy sauce and ginger, buffalo mozzarella

workout: callanetics warm-up, 30 minute walk

I could really feel the waist stretch working deeply today. I think it's what's really been pulling in my obliques. It makes my back feel so good whenever I do it. It's like any kinks just disappear and everything's put back in alignment.

I did fine without sweets until dinner and then, again, all I could think about was brownies. I rarely eat brownies so I'm not sure why they're the food obsession of choice since cutting out sweets.

Day 2 - No Sweet Challenge

breakfast: granola

snack: bread and cheese

lunch: baked chickpeas, rice with spinach and yogurt

snack: strawberries

dinner: potato and tomato bake, salad, peas, chinese herbal tofu

workout: callanetics 10/10, 30-minute walk

I wanted brownies all day today. It's so frustrating - I have everything I need to make them, it wouldn't take very long, and I can imagine what they taste and feel like. I wish imagining their taste was sufficient to satisfy my cravings - you know, make my mind think I had actually ate one. But, no. Just sitting here writing about them is making it worse.

No Sweets - Day 1

breakfast: toast, raw milk

lunch: sauerkraut, herbal tofu, rice ball, strawberries

dinner: baked chickpeas, sauerkraut, rice with yogurt and spinach

It was so hard to avoid sweets today. They're such a psychological crutch, as well as a physical addiction. I just feel better when I eat them. I hope it'll get easier over time.

The No-Sweet Challenge

I have a problem. I view sweets (desserts, chocolate, etc.) as something to have whenever I want it, not an occassional treat. I love sweets. I really do. It's one of my favorite foods. But I think I need to change that to reach my goal It takes 30 days to change a habit, so I'm going to challenge myself to no sweets for 30 days. Hopefully that will be long enough. Hopefully I can do it. It's kind of scary actually, to think of giving up sweets at all, even though I'm not getting rid of them forever, just changing my relationship to them. I guess they really are my comfort food.

June 14

breakfast: gordita, quesadilla, raspberry juice

lunch: hummus, salad

dinner: boiled potato, herbal tofu, steamed broccoli with tahini sauce, zucchini and tomato

June 13

breakfast: fruit

snack: raw milk

lunch: hummus, salad, chocolate-banana shake

dinner: tofu and vegetable sandwich

June 11

breakfast: banana

lunch: black-eye peas with tomato sauce, cauliflower, garlic and basil naan, doogh

dinner: raw milk

workout: callanetics 10/10

I really wasn't hungry today. I'm sure that's pretty obvious. To me, it's interesting how the body works - some days you're ravenous, and other days nothing is really appealing. The body does know how to regulate itself. It seems like I'm always far hungrier in the mornings than in the evenings. I can eat every 2 hours in the mornings and then barely anything from the afternoon on. My portions are always so tiny at dinner and it's extremely unusual for me to eat anything afterwards.

Big Difference!

breakfast: buffalo mozzarella

lunch: aloo tikki, chutney, kichadi

snack: plum

dinner: wrap

workout: Callanetics warm-up, Yoga Bliss Hips

Wow! I looked in the mirror today and saw a huge difference in my stomach. My obliques are really starting to pull in and the upper part of my waist is really getting flat, really sinking in. My left side looks like it's pulling in more than my right, but I'm sure the right will catch up. It reminds me of the pictures in Callanetics 10/10 of the dramatic changes experience. I can't wait to see what a difference there will be when I reach hour 19. I now wish I had taken pictures and measured before I started. I'm so looking forward to doing a full 10/10 workout tomorrow.

Today was the first time I've tried Yoga Bliss Hips. It's wierd how different Kundalini Yoga is. I've never really been into yoga, but this is so different it might be something to try. The meditations are nice breaks, kind of like all the relaxing in Callanetics. I think the only thing about yoga is that it always shows me how out of shape I am and how I don't have any upper body strength.

June 9

breakfast: raspberries, loganberries, strawberries

lunch: leftover enchilada

snack: buffalo mozarella

dinner: aloo tikki, mint-coconut chutney, kichadi

workout: callanetics 10/10

It was so nice to do callanetics again today. It seems like ever since I started to do it only every other day, I've really slacked off at working out in general. I feel so much better on the days I do callanetics. My back truly feels great. Just after the one workout today, I can feel that I'm standing straighter. I don't understand why you don't hear more about this workout. Instead, it's all about spending hours in the gym lifting weights and doing cardio. Personally, I'll go the easy route that produces fast results and leaves me feeling so good.

The kichadi I made today came out a little disappointing. I don't know if it's because I substitude red lentils for the split yellow mung beans, but it really tasted like it needed something, like the flavors weren't balanced. Maybe next time I'll try adding some turmeric and/or cilantro to it.

June 8

breakfast: plum, peanuts

lunch: buffalo mozzarella, olives, 2 spelt crackers with peanut butter

dinner: black bean-potato-zucchini enchilada, salad, small piece cherry flan

Definitely healthier than I have been eating recently, but not as good as I was. Seeing everything in writing really makes it easy to see where I'm off. More fruit and vegetables, less fat to come.

June 7

breakfast: gordita

lunch: pizza, sauerkraut, strawberry lemonade

dinner: tostada

I've been too busy to post lately and my eating has clearly gone downhill. I never would have thought keeping track like this would cause me to, almost unconsciously, eat better. I'm glad I've learned this now. Time to get back on track.

June 3

breakfast: banana, raw milk

snack: peach

lunch: fresh mozarella, artichoke heart, and tomato sandwich

dinner: leftover pasta

Still no workout. Tomorrow definitely tomorrow. I'm not letting myself make anymore excuses.

People are noticing

breakfast: banana, raw milk

snack: rye bread with peanut butter

lunch: yogurt, strawberries, granola

snack: piece of chocolate

dinner: pasta with chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts

Not the most well-rounded/balanced of meals for a day, but I truly enjoyed everything I ate.

I need to get back into working out. I've been pretty slack about it for the past few days. I received some compliments about how I'm looking thinner. I haven't told anyone I'm trying to lose weight or get in shape. The funny thing is that I still weigh 148 pounds - exactly what I weighed when I started almost two months ago.

I need to use the compliments as a motivator to start doing Callanetics regularly again. It clearly works. My clothes are fitting better. People are noticing. I'm still eating what I want. I'm not counting calories or carbs or anything. I'm trying to eat healthier, make better choices, and include more fruits and vegetables. But as anyone can see from looking at what I eat, I'm definitely not a stickler for it. I still enjoy sweets and need to increase the amount of salads and vegetables that I eat, just for health if nothing else. But, hey, if I get my butt back into gear, what I'm doing is clearly working...pretty easily and effortlessly if I do say so myself.