I’ll never give you up

Rickrolling my own blog.. because I will never give you up no matter how much time passes between posts.

Creating things with our hands

As an interfaith family, I find it important to share Jewish customs with my kids. Like baking challah together #MyInterfaithStory

End of the cleanse

So my 21 day cleanse is now over, and though I hated eating like that there were some lessons in the activity.

1. My body responds well to eating just plant based foods.
2. While eating plant based foods, I pretty much snacked the entire day instead of having meals, my body also liked this and I didn’t feel hungry.
3. I was completely shocked that I didn’t miss caffeine as much as I thought I would.
4. I got back into a 30 min of exercise/5 days a week minimum habit that I had fallen off of
5. I lost 12 pounds

So this morning I’m having a big cup of coffee (BZZZBZZZ) and I wrapped some eggs and cheese in a flour tortilla. Tomorrow I will feast on a Mother’s Day brunch. And Monday? Monday I will work out more and I will eat very similarly to the cleanse food I was eating. I will also do the cleanse full on again in a couple of months. I feel good and not eating sugar, dairy, gluten, most grains, caffeine and eating much lighter than usual in the animal protein department (though I may up this a little and eat slightly more toward paleo).

There has to be a balance. I need to be able to enjoy what I want to eat and be healthy too. And I will. I am at my plateau weight. My body likes to sit here, and it has for a long time. But I WILL break through its grips this time and I WILL TRY to lost 20 more pounds by August 1st (a small/big goal of mine).

So now, armed with new cookbooks that my sweet husband picked up for me at his office, I will listen to what my body said during this cleanse and will try to eat a more plant based diet.

Even if I hate the food (and hopefully I’ll find new recipes so I won’t). I won’t give up.

The food we eat, for health

Since last July, I have been on a quest to be healthier. To exercise, to eat well, and to lose weight. Since my heaviest, I aim to lose about 100 pounds.

Today I am down 40 pounds.

Good accomplishment, right? Except I’ve been down those same 40 pounds for months. I hit a BIG plateau in November and then never recovered from it. I even gained back 10 pounds.

I’ve since gone on a 30 day “whole health” cleanse (no dairy, gluten, sugar, little animal protein) and have lost those ten pounds plus one. My body is in its comfort zone and I’m trying to force it downward. Everyone has advice, eat more, eat less, don’t eat grains, eat meat, don’t eat meat, count calories, eat fruit, don’t eat fruit, exercise more, exercise less, exercise differently, track everything, don’t worry about it so much.

And its hard. Really hard.

Also? I hate the goddamn food.

Now, I have gotten everyone’s best and favorite recipes following the guidelines and I still hate the food. I’m sorry but cauliflower “rice” isn’t rice and quinoa just tasted like weird little crunchy nuggets in my mouth. Kale chips? Just don’t. I know many people who do enjoy eating like this, or paleo or vegan or juice fasts, even weight watchers annoys me with its math requirement (though it does work).. but I can’t get into the food. After a while I just want a freakin’ sandwich with turkey, bacon and mayo (which, YUM, I haven’t had in a while).

So basically I torture myself, and I deprive myself. Everyone says, oh no, this is a lifestyle change and you will like this lifestyle change because you’ll feel better. And I DO feel good. I even enjoy the exercise (mostly running and some zumba), but even running 3-4 times a week and doing zumba doesn’t seem to help with the weight loss (although I am stronger and not nearly as winded as I used to be).

Bottom line is… I’m frustrated. And I’m not finding a long term solution for myself.

But here I sit. Trudging onward, not giving up. Eating a saffron tofu and cabbage stir fry and its pretty good. But I really wish it was a cheeseburger.

Rebirth?

When spring, springs.. a rebirth takes place. Seeds sprout, flowers bloom and ideas form. Perhaps that is a sign of things to come. Stay tuned.