Thursday, December 29, 2011

Tomorrow I leave for Phoenix

to do my first 24 hour race.


I'm excited and scared at the same time. I'm hoping to complete 50 miles within 24 hours.

I wish my wheat belly was smaller. Damn you holiday carbs!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

What would Fred eat?


I'm thinking of embracing a paleo diet for 4 months.
It will begin after my 24 hour race, on Jan 1.
It would end after my 50 mile race on April 21.
That would be 16 weeks, enough time to see if this type of diet would work for me.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

So what's it going to be for 2012?

Wheat-free?
Grain-free?
Paleo?
Sugar-free?

To make my decision, I've been reading lots of books. Wheat Belly by Dr Davis www.wheatbellyblog.com started it all, I know that I'll be wheat free in 2012. But what about the rest of it?

I've been learning about the Paleo/Primal diet. I like it except for the meat part. I've been a vegetarian for about 20 years. I eat fish/ dairy and eggs. No matter how I try to make the case for adding some meat to my diet, I can't do it. Even the grass fed, humanely treated kind.

How about giving up sugar? I'm tempted to do this but how radical will I go? Do I quit refined sugar but leave in honey, maple syrup and maybe agave? I've been reading about Coconut Sugar, maybe that's all I'll use. Or maybe just fruit sweetened desserts?

OK so no wheat. But how about rice? Maybe just small portions, like in sushi?

I've got some decisions to make. Whatever I decide on Jan 1 will extend through the year.

I better start reading...

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

I'm wheat-free from 7am - 3pm.

These baby steps are working for me. Thanks to protein shakes, an egg cooker and packing my lunch, I'm only 3-4 hours away from being 100% wheat-free. I'm confident that I'll be ringing in my new lifestyle on New Years Day.

The bad news is that I'm still consuming alot of sugar. On Jan 1, I'll use the same baby step method to wean myself off the sweet stuff.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Bento Box!

As of today, I'm wheat/grain free from 7am until 2pm. I've switched from eating english muffins to drinking protein shakes for breakfast. Now the time has extended into lunch, I had to find substitutes for my big fat sandwiches and pizza.

The solution?


A bento box! This one is by Laptop Lunches www.laptoplunches.com.  I bought it a year or so ago but never used it. I'm day 3 into packing my lunch and I actually enjoy it! I like the little compartments. The photo above has cheese/flax-seed crackers (no grain), tuna, fruit salad and mixed nuts.

I'm learning new things everyday.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

SUUUUUUUU.......EEEEEEEY!!!!!

Actually it's Sous Vide. I just ordered one of these...

Sous Vide is a way to cook things in a water bath. The food is vacuum packed then placed in the cooker. Sous Vide cooking is supposed to concentrate the flavors and make food very tender.

I plan on eating replacing plates of pasta with plates of fish. Sous Vide seems like an easy, foolproof way to prepare it. I'm going to order lots of Alaskan fish from this place..

I'm going to stock up on Wild caught Salmon, Halibut and other tasty fishies. The website is www.vitalchoice.com.

Another cool gadget I bought..



An egg cooker! That looks like an egg!

I'm also looking at some Paleo cookbooks. I'm determined to be wheat/grain free in 2012. Having some good recipes will help with the transition.

Speaking of transition, I'm wheat-free up to 1pm. I replaced my usual english muffin breakfast with a protein smoothie. Next week I'll pack wheat free lunches, probably a cheese/hard boiled egg combo with some fruit and veggies.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Getting back on track

Last time I jumped 100% into the wheat free lifestyle. One day I'm eating brownies, the next day I'm not.

That didn't work out too well. I'm trying a new tactic..baby stepping my way into a wheat-free life.

Beginning on Dec 11, I'm taking 21 days to become wheat free. One hour at a time. The schedule looks like this

Dec      Time without wheat
11         7-8am       
12         7-9am
13         7-10am
14         7-11am
15         7-12pm
16         7-1pm
17         7-1:30pm
18         7-2pm
19         7-2:30pm
20         7-3pm
21         7-3:30pm
22         7-4pm
23         7-4:30pm
24         7-5pm
25         7-5:30pm
26         7-6pm
27         7-6:30pm
28         7-7pm
29         7-7pm
30         7-7:30pm
31         7-8pm


WHEAT-FREE FOR 2012!!!!

Monday, December 12, 2011

In a nutshell

here's what's been happening since my last post in October...

-Fell off the wheat free wagon, pies, cookies, pizza, if it contains wheat, I've been eating it.
-My wheat belly is back with a vengeance.
-I've completed 2 marathons and I think 3 half marathons since my last post. My wheat belly would be three times it's size if I didn't do them.

I was going to post a photo of my belly, as a "before" picture. I can't bring myself to do it. Instead I'll attach a photo from my last marathon in November.

My wheat belly is concealed under my race number
The good news is that I'm working my way back to wheat free living. More details tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm re-reading Dr  Davis's book..

And soon it will be day 1 again

I'll explain later this afternoon...

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

It's Day 25!

Berry smoothie, white lion muffin & peanut butter
Chard & yam salad & truffles (still eating too much sugar)
Lentil Dahl soup & white lion scone
These macaroons rock! And they're flour/grain free!





Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Intermittent fasting


I've been doing some form of fasting for a couple years. Usually it's one or two fasts per week. I'll eat dinner, then skip breakfast & lunch the next day. My goal is to resume eating again at dinner, sometimes I only make it until 4 or 5pm.

I like not thinking about what I'm going to eat for almost 24 hours. My husband would rather cut off his arm than fast but for me, it works.

Fasting has become easier now that I've gone wheat and grain free. Any hunger pains or cravings that occur seem much more manageable. When I was a wheat eater, I had broken many fasts 5 or 6 hours early because of the need to chew (usually a bagel or muffin). Today I finished a fast that began yesterday at 6pm and ended at 4pm without a problem.

Most weeks I'll designate Tuesdays and Thursdays as my fasting days.

Monday & Tuesday photos


yogurt, fruit & white lion muffin
raw grain free pizza
raw apple pie
On Tuesday I fasted until 4
Tuesday dinner..kale salad & white lion scone
Tuesday dessert..raw chocolate pie











Monday, October 3, 2011

In 200 days

I'll be doing a 50 mile race.

I'll also be turning 55 years old.

I've got lots of work to do...

Sunday, October 2, 2011

I need to cut out the sugar

Since September 11, I've been 100% wheat-free. Except for a little sushi rice, grain-free too.

No grains but lots of sugar. Instead of eating pies and cakes, I've switched to chocolate mousse and creme brulles. I don't even want to talk about the ice cream.

It's time to stop the sugar train.

The plan will be to quit all the white, processed stuff. During the transition period, I'll allow desserts made with honey and sometimes agave. My desserts from the White Lion Baking Company are made with honey. And the raw desserts I sometimes eat are either honey or agave. Hopefully after a month or so, I can wean off these desserts all together. Or at least cut down to an occasional treat.

Couple photos

Saturday breakfast..fruit, yogurt & white lion cinnamon bun
Friday lunch..fruit & cheese & eggplant





Thursday, September 29, 2011

Day 19

raw grain-free granola & fruit
big honkin' salad
chocolate mousse



Lake Tahoe Trifecta (3 half marathons in 3 days)


So many hills
Look it's a boat!
The elevation was so high that we could see snow
This sign says it all


The hills were tough but the view was worth it







Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Day 18..on the road again

primal muffin, peanut butter & berries
eggs & guacamole 
another salad out of town
chocolate mousse





Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Days 16 & 17...back home

berry smoothie
spinach & cheese omelet & potatoes
yogurt,  white lion muffin & berries
sushi, had some rice but no wheat, not even soy sauce
veggie soup, kale chips & cheese
I love White Lion's cookies








Monday, September 26, 2011

The rest of my wheat-free food from Lake Tahoe

another pre race bar
post race breakfast & another medal
I took the crust off this quiche & fruit
breakfast before race #3
post race salad & more medals
white lion baking company cookies




























Saturday, September 24, 2011

My wheat free food from Friday

pre-race wheat free bar
yogurt, fruit, coffee and a medal!
salad with shrimp & egg
more primal cookies




Friday, September 23, 2011

First half marathon..done

13.1 miles done, 26.2 more to go.

The race started at Emerald Bay...


This photo doesn't do it justice, the views were fantastic. The first 3 miles were a brutal downhill, then the course turned onto a bike path. And finished in town.

Bob fusses at me for doing minimal race prep. I usually don't look at race course details, I prefer to be surprised. That's also the case for aid stations and port-a-potties. I figure they'll be on the course somewhere, I'll get to them eventually.

OK, I admit it, I should have read the final instructions. Then I would have known about the non-existent port-a-lets and water only available at mile 10. I knew something was up when I was the only one at the start without a water bottle.

Luckily, after about 2 hours, I came upon a 7-11. I bought a water and used their restroom, all was right with the world again.

Tomorrow I'm going to carry some water, I'm still stumped about the bathroom situation. Maybe I'll stuff some toilet paper in my hat and hope for the best.