The Whole 30...16

I think it was 16, how many days I lasted, I mean.

Mark and I started the Whole 30 on April 7th. We lasted...mmm...two weeks, maybe a little less, maybe a little more.

It was a great experiment, we both did well. Mark lost 10 lbs and I lost 8 lbs. And although we didn't last the whole 30, we did pretty good.

I learned a lot. About me and my connections with foods. I love sugar. And grains. And sugar. I have long used food to cope with stressful situations, and this why I am a little overweight and very tired. Sugar does lots of things to your immune system, energy and not all of them good.

I am happy with my results with how I did for a short period of time, and I do admit that I feel much better when I follow the whole 30, and I plan to continue...sometime, very soon. It has been a great experience. I spend more money on food, and more time in the kitchen, but overall, I am doing so much better because of it.

I have 7 weeks of school left before summer break, and I plan to go back on on the diet lifestyle change before then. But until then, I am going to enjoy as many bowls of coconut milk ice cream as I can. That is food, right?

What year is it?

So, apparently I am really bad about following through with things. Good news - my life is just about the same. Except a few minor details.

I am still addicted to coffee.Sleep is hard to come by and although I do not work at a coffee shop any more, I still drink a lot of coffee. Somewhere between 32 and 48 oz a day. My current favorite is Zoka out of Seattle. Of course, I still have espresso. Two to three shots, one or two times a day. Addictions must not not be ignored.

I am back in school - for almost three years now. I am in my third year of naturopathic medical school, studying to one day become a doctor. Although, the lack of sleep (see above), is enough to drive one crazy, I will stick with it...only 584 days to go....


My family life is the same, still married (hitting the big 10 year mark this summer) to the same wonderful guy. We have a new pup, Higgins (if you get it...you are cool), who is just over a year old now. He is a German Sheppard/ Golden Retriever and tends to run into things...a lot. He takes wild and crazy to a whole new level. When he was about 7 months old he actually head butted me and split my forehead open. Scars are cool.

I've been trying to think what I want this blog to become. I have some favorites, that I like to read, and really like the way they are set up. Check them out....
myfoodnfitnessdiaries.com
pbfingers.com
I may not do as much fitness though, I will probably focus more on health...and my other adventures. I like fitness...but lets be real...I would much rather spend that time each day sleeping...

An Insatiable Sweet Tooth

As my evening was winding down and the Orange Bowl was almost over, I found myself in a very familiar place. I was again standing in front of the fridge trying to decide what to have for dessert. For the average person this would probably be easy. Some ice cream, some cake, a candy bar, or pie would all have worked. But I had none. Walk to the pantry. There are some salted caramels (mmmm) and some candy cane Jo Jo's (double mmmmm) but both contain the life ending (not really) gluten that I can not have. Something my head screamed. Something more than melted chocolate chips and peanut butter again (yes...I have done this more times than I care to recall-recipe to follow).

But the I remembered the cookies that I have in the freezer. Hallelujah!!!! There were three cookies left from what I purchased earlier last week which I had been saving for such an occasion as this.

For Christmas this year my husband gave me a gift certificate for a new local bakery (he knows me so well) that makes both vegan and gluten free organic pieces of heaven ( pronounced dessert). With my gift certificate I got two pumpkin donuts, three tarts, and 4 cookies. Since I have tried one of everything that I got, I can say that they were all wonderful. And the maker of these wonderful treats was Cravin' Raven Organic Bakery on 13th St in Sellwood. (http://www.cravinraven.com/) Everything was wonderful. So yummy. Since going gluten free almost a year ago, it has been difficult to find good desserts and pastries that do not take up 1/10th of my grocery budget. Cravin' Raven was reasonably priced and everything was so good. They also had a barista who whipped up the best chai latte with hemp milk that I have ever had. Although I ordered a large (two be split between two people, I drank 3/4 of it before thinking about passing it to my husband to share.

As I am writing this post I only have two cookies and one donut left. I am going to try to make it last until next week. But wow...who can resist that feeling every night...

Cravin' Raven may be my new favorite place.

Sorry Crossroads Cafe- No one expects you to compete with those cookies.

A Sad Dessert

1/8 C. chocolate chips

1 Tbs. peanut butter

Melt in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Eat with spoon. Lick bowl.

Waiting...

I can think of about 1001 things that I would rather do than wait. I am not sure if it is my anxious personality, the inability to focus on one thing for any substantial amount of time, or the fact that I am always in a hurry. When I have to wait for something that I am really excited about....it is worse. I feel a constant stream of adrenalin running into my system. It is like one of those little fountains that are often in doctors offices, except, with out the calming effect. I can't sit down and focus on anything.

There are a couple of things that I am waiting on now. I am waiting for time to go by so that school will be done for Christmas break. I am waiting on a rum cake to come out of the oven for a party I am going to this weekend. I am waiting on my niece Addison to get better so she can come home from the hospital. I am waiting on NCNM to give me a call and say yeah or nay so that I know if I will be going to medical school next year.

Sometimes this inability to sit still will cause to me to take action. Checking the cake, studying for finals, making phone calls to check on the status of a loved one. But when there is nothing that I can do to change the status of my application or hurry the process of healing for my dear sweet niece I become frustrated. I would like to be able to say that it is these times cause me to go to the lord in prayer and get down on my knees. But in most cases it doesn't. Don't get me wrong. When I learned about my sister and niece on Thanksgiving night, I prayed so hard, and so long. Waiting for my the yeah of nay for medical school is killing me...slowly.

I have not been to God much for this unknown. I think it is partly because I know that the knows my mind. He knows my fears and my hopes. I think that I am also afraid to pray about it because I am afraid that his answer might not be what I want to hear, which, in two of the three cases it is. Which leaves me stuck. I want to do well, I want to turn to him for everything, but somewhere deep inside me, I know that He already knows.

Yippy for summer!!!

My summer has officially started now that school is all done. I have just about a month of summer left, and I am pretty excited to relax, and have some fun, like I have not had in a while. Summer started with a bang. Not a literal one, just a financial one.

Instead of taking a little mini vacation to the beach, I bought a new fridge. Not the ideal purchase. But it is going to be very pretty in my cute little house.

Here are some of the things that I want to accomplish this summer...

Read a couple of books.

Make a couple of quilts.

Watch a couple of movies.

Go on a couple of runs.

Pretty general things. But enough to get me excited about what little is left this summer. I also want to learn how to use my digital camera a little better. I know this is a random list of thoughts. But that is about how my brain is working these days.

I should keep a note pad with me all the time.