Some observations

I made a pact with myself that I would blog once a day during this whole I'm-going-to-revamp-my-life-for-the-thousandth-time...thing.  When you are going through a lifestyle change, journaling is supposed to help you stick with it.  I don't one top to blog at length about, so I thought I would blog about some observations I've made in the last couple of days.

1.)  Coconut milk and chia seeds make for a morning smoothie powerhouse!  This morning for breakfast, I had a fruit smoothie with coconut milk, pineapple, raspberries and wild blueberries.  I tossed in two teaspoons of chia seeds into the blender, and voila!  Tasty, filling breakfast.  It kept me going right up until lunch time.  In the past, smoothies haven't quite got me through to lunch, but this one certainly did.  I'm a little sad that The Plan says Greek yogurt can be highly reactive, but with the discovery of coconut milk, I think I'll be fine.

2.)  Ritz whole wheat crackers are the devil. I desperately wanted something to go with my turkey at lunch today, so I grabbed a handful of Ritz whole wheat crackers from the break room at work.  Such a bad plan!  I had turkey on its own yesterday and had no reaction. Today, I had five Ritz cracker with it and BAM!--heartburn.

3.)  Fast food pizza sucks.  Since I'm broke (But hey!  At least I'm paying off my debts!), I've been scraping together meals of frozen leftovers.  Last night was leftover pizza from a fast food chain.  Bleh.  It just wasn't good.  Not to mention the digestive issues it caused.  I'll be sticking with Andolini's and staying away from the other crap.

4.)  The Lyn-Genet crew is amazing!  They answer your questions in a timely and encouraging manner.  I know this because I asked via their Facebook page about hydration and why I am always thirsty.  My  question was answered in less than five minutes.  They suggested a humidifier.  I have my baby humidifier but they suggested getting a larger one for my room.  I'll be testing that theory, because I just feel so dry!  

Experimentation is fun!

I think the reason The Plan is so attractive to me is that it's like a science experiment.  Once you've done what Lyn-Genera calls The Cleanse (which really isn't like a cleanse at all, because you're eating food instead of fading on water or juice), you're body is in its "control" state.  From there, you begin your experimentation by adding in more reactive foods gradually, weeding out (or not) the ones that aren't working for you.

I haven't  begun the cleanse yes, but I've purchased some of the foods from the cleanse portion of the plan to see if they are palatable for me. 

One of these foods is coconut milk.  I'm not terribly fond of coconut, but I've found I enjoy the consistency of coconut milk more than I do cow's milk.  That's something I never in a million years thought I would say. 

I'm really looking forward to The Plan, because it allows you to discover new foods and encourages you to eat until you are full.  None of that counting calories and eating like a bird crap.  For a person who genuinely loves food and enjoys eating, that's the best thing you can say!

Fast Food Nightmare...

I've finished reading The Plan by Lyn-Genet.  In doing so, I've noticed a few things about the foods I'm eating.  I've begun to create an "Unfriendly" list for myself.

A few days ago, I went to my favorite Italian restaurant with my girlfriends.  My meal was delicious, and something I'd never tried before.  It was Chicken Florentino--a cheesy, lemony creation with spinach and penne pasta.  I've suspected for a while now that pasta and I aren't exactly on friendly terms.  On multiple occasions, I have scarfed down a delicious pasta dish only to wake up in the middle of the night with sever intestinal cramps.  If I stick to reasonable portions, it's not a problem, but if I binge...Well, things get ugly.  The Chicken Florentino caused a similar reaction, and sadly, I added it to my "Unfriendly" list.  

***DISCLAIMER***  This is the point where guys may want to turn away, because I'm going to talk about "girl time."

I've always had problems with my period.  It never lasted the 3-5 days everyone tells you it's supposed to.  Oh, no.  Not for me.  On top of having digestion issues and intense cramping, I also got saddled with periods that would last 7-14 days.  That was if I was lucky.  Recently, I had a period that lasted 14 days, but I spotted for a solid 8 weeks after that.

A year and a half ago, I was in the emergency room with abdominal pain so bad every doctor I saw that day was certain it was appendicitis.  When they did my CAT scan, however, they found multiple cysts on each of my ovaries.  Then, it was onto a pelvic exam that confirmed a total of 13 cysts.  Oy.

In The Plan, Lyn-Genet cites examples of women who have trouble with infertility, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and severe PMS.  Each of these women were able to overcome their issues by following The Plan.  

The concept that a food may have a direct impact on certain health issues made stop and think.  If these women were able to sort out their health concerns, it might be beneficial for me to try it.  After all, their problems were with their reproductive system, and so it mine.  

The day after the Chicken Florentino disaster, I went to Taco Bell, because it was close, quick and cheap.  I ordered the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes (a personal favorite) and one Taco Supreme.  BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE!  I don't eat there all that often to begin with, and I probably won't eat there again.    

I immediately felt discomfort in my digestive track.  I always thought it took up to 8 hours for a meal to fully digest; but if the food is reactive for you you could feel the effects as soon as your digestive juices go to work.  

45 minutes after eating my meal from Taco Bell, I began to have pain in my ovaries.  Coincidence?  I'm leaning toward no.  

I started out the day with a flat belly, but 1.5 hours after eating the meal from hell, I was uncomfortably bloated with a distended belly.  o.O  Trust me when I say I will never do that to myself again.

I haven't started The Plan yet, but it's definitely made me aware of what I'm eating.