Last Blog

Hi Everyone!  I'm sorry to say that I have to stop posting under this blog for personal reasons. 

For me, this journey to a new and healthier me has been mind-boggling.  It showed me what I am capable of doing.  I can now do sit ups and real push ups.  I no longer need my inhaler.  I no longer need medication.  I have lost 5 inches off my waistline, went from a size 16 to a size 10, and lost 18lbs in 90days of P90x.  Although my workouts weren't consistent in the end, they were still completed.  In the past 6 months since I buckled down, I lost 28lbs.  That is a lot for someone who struggled to lose 5lbs in the past.

I will, however, post other blogs, not of me personally (although maybe, if by request, I will post my progress in getting healthy and thriving), but about healthy vegan and gluten-free recipes.

Thank you all for following me on this journey!  It has been a mind-boggling experience which led me to be rid of physical weight, and the weight that others have put on me (meaning I let go of those who would bring me down).  Keep pushing play and keep practicing a healthy life.  Remember it is PRACTICE, and PRACTICE will bring you closer to PERFECT (meaning making this change second nature so that you can make permanent changes!!!).

Aloha,
Jennifer

Day 82 of P90x and Day 37 WFPB

Just a little blurb to write during my lunch break.

Today is Legs and Back, and Ab Ripper X.  I am nearing the end of the 90-day journey.  I am also over a month in for living a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet.

My current struggles are1) being consistent with my workouts and 2) being consistent in knowing what foods to avoid.  We all use the excuse of "life gets in the way," right?  Well, even though EXCUSES NEVER WORK, it was still my excuse.  My day 90 is supposed to be here already, but it is not.

My other struggle, being consistent in knowing what foods to avoid, is also my fault.  Last week, I went to a chinese restaurant to help celebrate my uncle's birthday.  I loved that they had a vegetarian menu and ordered some vegetarian dishes and also picked out some of the vegetables from other dishes, thinking it would be okay.  WRONG!  Later, my stomach felt this burning and bloated sensation.

And then last night, I had some thai food.  I love thai food and loved that it can be vegetarian.  But alas, after having panang tofu curry with brown rice and summer rolls with tofu, I had the same reaction I did the week prior with the chinese food.  I wondered, "WTH did I eat?!"

I looked up a recipe for panang curry and it turns out that one of the ingredients is................fish sauce!  So I had to assume that there was also fish sauce in the chinese food, despite it being vegetarian!  Last friday I treated myself to some vegan sushi...but I think there was cross contamination when they prepared the food...no wonder I had some discomfort 30min after eating the "vegetarian" food!

I am human and make mistakes sometimes.  If anyone ever said they were perfect, then that would mean we are equal to GOD, but

WE ALL FALL SHORT OF GOD'S GLORY!

But I have a plan.  I will, without a doubt, continue and finish my 90 days, even if I have to slap myself in the face!  LOL!!!  Somebody will slap me if I fall off again.  I'm pretty amazed at my progress though.  Despite the weight and inches lost, I am stronger and can do lawnmowers using 15-lb dumbbells!  Hey, that is great compared to my 5lb limit LOL.  My goal is to lift 20s.  And once that 90-day hits, I'm going to do Yoga X, Core Synergistics and X-Stretch for a week before I do Round 2 of the X.

As far as the food, I still have to learn to eat out so that I can enjoy food with family and friends.  BUT, I need to do my homework and research what these foods might contain before I go and eat there.  I also gotta teach myself how to make amazing vegan dishes.  I am still learning how to cook and getting better at it.  Damn you, fish sauce!

It is not enough to just have motivation.  Commitment and dedication is what separates us from the temporary, and what separates us from the weak.  Falling off the wagon every now and then is what makes us human, as it is inevitable that we fall short from God's glory.  But if we do not learn from our mistakes and continue the same cycle of failure, the same path, then we are weak.

Keep going everybody!

Update on Progress: Almost Over?

This is just a little blurb on my progress.  I am losing more weight than ever!  Averaging a weight loss of 1 pound every 3 days is awesome!  I am almost done with the 90 days.  In fact, I am in the middle of the second to last week! Wow, that was a mouthful...hope you understood that one LOL.

But is it over?  NEVER!  I will never stop this lifestyle because I worked too damn hard to go back to where I was.  The only exception would be if I had some kind of injury preventing me to move, or when I get pregnant and have to tone it down a bit.

I'm experimenting with recipes and trying lots of new stuff.  So far, my go-to "fast food" is black rice and black beans with himalayan salt.  It's my go-to food until I can get better at making food without any meat/fish/eggs/dairy and oil.  I've made a few vegan dishes already.  Recipes will be up soon!

Tonight is Yoga X!  Namaste!

Vegan?! Really?!

Yup, I did it!  If you have been following my posts and my healthy lifestyle journey, I went through many changes...almost like a schizo! But that is what you gotta do.  If something does not work, you have to wonder WHY?  And if you do not know WHY, there are many tools out there to help you find out WHY.  And if that does not help you, you can sign up to blogs and find lots of scientific data that proves whatever it is may be your WHY.

All my life, it has been a struggle, and only now, when I was able to focus on just me, have I been able to figure it all out.  From 10 years old, I was fighting the big DIET FIGHT...against myself, with FAMILY, and with peers from school.  I have gone through it all.

Even though it might be embarrassing to admit, I will still share because it might just help somebody out there struggling with the same thing....

I was bulimic....long before my sister (I love her!) ever found out about it.  I remember a friend of mine saying that "its the best feeling, and you can eat whatever you want and lose weight if you do this."  Mind you, I was only 13 years old and believed her because she also helped me lose weight in healthier ways such as good nutrition and daily exercise (I think I lost 10lbs that summer and got a lot of looks from the guys LOL).  When my sister caught me, she (God bless her, I love her!) threatened to kick my ass if she ever caught me doing that again.  HAHA - I really miss her.  She is living with her family in the mainland and can't wait for her and her family's visit to Hawaii in June.

So the bulimia went out the door.  And all these things came and went: calorie counting, portioning, calorie counting (again), Atkin's diet (I got sick after a week on it!).

Okay, I am rambling.  You can read my previous posts on where this journey has taken me.

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I am now on week 2, going on week 3 vegan...more so a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet (WFPB).  Is is basically what the American Heart Association and American Diabetic Association is advocating, except I have omitted all animal products (except for bee vomit AKA honey) from my life, and restrict a lot of oils as well.  This journey started in December, with omitting all animal products except honey, fish and eggs...then I took those foods out completely on January 1, 2012...call it a New Years Resolution (NYR) if you must, but it is not.  If I call it a NYR, then I would only do it until that term "NYR" wears out. 

Critiques?  Well, my husband thinks I'm nuts LMAO.  But I have been reading a lot of scientific data and books about the WFPB diet.  It is really amazing because it really cleanses your body and mind...and I say that literally because:

1) I was able to listen to my body.  I ate when I was hungry, and ate until I was satisfied...this, you can accomplish with a lot of other lifestyles.
2) When I did not listen to my body, it retaliated.  It really retaliated!
          Story:  I was eating clean for about a week and a half, and then my boss treats everyone in the department to a buffet.  I had tomato basil soup, steamed broccoli/cauliflower and two plates of salad with every little vinaigrette dressing.  I thought I could handle a little bit of dairy.....FAIL!  After two spoons of the soup and just a cup of the steamed vegetables (it had cheese on top, so I thought, in my dumb moment, that a little won't help), I had lots of gas....and then there was this barbecue we went to just a couple of days ago.  I avoided "all" the bad foods.  My plate consisted of carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, boiled peanuts...at first.  It had no "flavor," so I dipped the veggies in a little bit of the dip.  And then I was still hungry!  I COULD NOT GET FULL!  so I reverted to some white rice that they had...i figured it was white rice, so not too bad...and on top some cooked watercress I picked off some noodles...and then I had enough...then yesterday, I made tabbouleh with mixed vegetables...EPIC FAIL!
          Result:  Diarrhea, gas/gurgling in my tummy and a BIG ASS PIMPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FOREHEAD!  (I will explain why I still continue and pressed the "restart" button on my WFPB lifestyle).

3) When I listened to my body, I found out what types of food my body had reactions too. 
What are the reactions and what did my body identify as allergies or NO-GOOD foods?
      - GLUTEN:  oh my, do I hate gluten, but love the foods associated with this protein.  I get headaches, nausea, extreme bloat in my gut so much that I cannot move and diarrhea.....for a week!
      -LACTOSE:  same as gluten, except I feel like vomiting...as if I am pregnant!
      -MINT:  omg whatever was in that tabbouleh, be it the quinoa (it wasn't because I've eating quinoa the day before with no reaction), the mint, the spices or the soy beans in the mix....I had the gas/gurgles/diarrhea.  I know, I know, TMI (too much information), right?  But that is why you are reading this...to get information.

All this plus my reaction to my bad week (see above).  There is a science behind all this madness.  Please refer to the article I posted entitled, "Toxic Hunger."  I believe in this concept because even though white rice is VEGAN, PLANT-BASED, etc, the sugars in it are quicker to be released in your blood stream, causing a spike in insulin, and making your body more acidic rather than alkaline.  And the sugar will go no where else but in your fat cells, which is why, especially for women, you have cellulite...this I was told by a fellow WFPB Nutritionist getting her Masters and helping others...but I need to do a little more research on that and give sources later.  Damn, LOL.

I am currently reading the book, or at least finished reading, but reread all the time, called "Keep it Simple, Keep It Whole" by Alona Pulde, MD and Matthew Lederman, MD.  These physicians have also helped create the movie, "Forks Over Knives."  I haven't seen the documentary/movie yet, but I will.  It is a really good book and I suggest you pick one up just to see what all the hype is all about.  All the nutrients and calories you need can be found in plants, you don't need oils to fulfill your Omega 3 and 6 requirements, and you can eat all you want until you are full and NEVER HAVE TO COUNT YOUR CALORIES!

Here is some information from the book that were really interesting to me:

Remember, we are all different and take different paths in life.  You'll never know where it will lead you to.

Toxic Hunger

I found this on another forum that I'm following.  It is linked to Facebook, so I cannot give you a reference.  But there is a reference for this article specifically.  I have felt and gone through all of what is listed below.  Enjoy!

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Hunger is good to experience on a daily basis. Hunger is important to aid in our enjoyment of food and get the precise signals from our body to know the amount of calories we need to maintain our lean body mass. When we eat when we are hungry food tastes much better and we are physiologically primed for proper digestion. Hunger, in the true sense of the word, indicates to us that it is time to eat again.

Consider that real hunger is not often experienced in our modern, overfed population. Most people no longer even remember or are aware what hunger even feels like. Most people are surprised to find that true hunger is felt in the throat and not in the head or stomach.

Instead of true hunger, people get detoxification or withdrawal symptoms that they mistakenly consider hunger. They feel shaky, head-achy, weak, fatigue, get abdominal cramps or spasms and other symptoms which they consider manifestations of hunger symptoms because they are relieved by eating. I call this “toxic hunger.” Toxic hunger is the symptoms a person experiences that are due to toxic wastes being mobilized for elimination. It occurs after a meal is digested and the digestive track is empty, and it could make us feel very uncomfortable.

Generally, we eat to get rid of these withdrawal symptoms and it works. In fact, this is one of the most important contributors to our population’s overweight condition. We eat the wrong foods and just a few hours later we feel ill, stressed out, shaky, weak, mentally dull, and we are driven to eat again to relieve the discomfort. Did you ever hear someone saying they needed to eat because they feel so shaky? The question is, are these symptoms “true hunger,” “hypoglycemia” or something else? I claim that these symptoms occur simultaneous to our blood sugar decreasing but they are not caused by “hypoglycemia.” Rather, they result from sensitivity to mobilization of waste products which is enhanced when most active digestion is finished.

When we eat a nutrient-dense diet, rich with lots of colorful vegetables, we will better meet the nutrient needs of our body and reduce free radicals and other toxins that build up in our tissues from a diet of poor quality. When we have a lower level of waste on our tissues as a result of micronutrient adequacy people no longer feel those (withdrawal) symptoms of “toxic hunger” leading to overeating behavior.

When our diet is low in nutrients, we build up intra-cellular waste products. So when digestion stops, our body goes through a period catabolism or breakdown and this results in, and is accompanied by, the release of toxic substances into circulation for removal. Our cells harbor toxic products that build up in the body when our diet is relatively nutrient-poor. Phytonutrients enable cellular detoxification machinery. When we don’t eat sufficient phytochemical-rich-vegetation and consume excess animal proteins (creating excess nitrogenous wastes) we often exacerbate the build up of metabolic waste products in our body.

The confusion is compounded because when we eat the same heavy foods that are causing the problem to begin with, we feel so much better. This makes becoming overweight inevitable, because if we stop digesting food, even for a short time, our bodies will begin to experience symptoms of detoxification or withdrawal from our unhealthful diet. To counter this we eat heavy meals, eat too often and keep our digestive track overfed to lessen the discomfort from our stressful diet-style.

When our bodies have acclimated to noxious agents it is called addiction. Try to stop taking the heroin and we will feel ill. In fact, we must have it or we will become terribly sick. This is called withdrawal. When we stop doing something harmful to ourselves we feel ill as the body mobilizes cellular wastes and attempts to repair the damage caused by the exposure.

If we drank 3 cups of coffee or caffeinated soda a day, we would get a withdrawal headache when our caffeine level dipped too low. We could take more caffeine again (or other drugs) or we could eat food more frequently which can make us feel a little better as it retards detoxification or withdrawal. In other words, the caffeine withdrawal symptoms can contribute to our drinking more caffeine products or eating more frequently as a means of managing the symptoms from caffeine withdrawal.

Likewise, a few hours after eating the standard low-nutrient diet most people begin to feel "hungry". They feel weak, headachy, tired, mentally dull, and have stomach spasms. I call it "toxic hunger" because these symptoms only occur in those who have been eating a toxic diet. True hunger would not have occurred so early after the meal.

True hunger signals when our body needs calories to maintain our lean body mass. If we ate food demanded by true hunger and true hunger only, people would not become overweight to begin with. In our present toxic food environment, we have lost the ability to connect with the body signals that tell us how much food we actually need. We have become slaves to withdrawal symptoms and eat all day long, even when there is no biological need for calories.

Fortunately, this cycle of eating, and then avoiding the symptoms of detoxification by eating again, does not have to continue. There is a way out. When you restore the nutritional integrity and relative cleanliness to your tissues, you simply will not have the desire to eat. You will naturally desire less calories.

In an environment of healthy food choices, we would not feel any symptoms after a meal until the hormonal and neurological messengers indicated the glycogen reserves in the liver were running low. Nature has made it so that our body has the beautifully orchestrated ability to give us the precise signals to tell us exactly how much to eat to maintain an ideal weight for our long term health. This signal I call "true hunger" to differentiate it from the “toxic hunger" everyone else calls hunger.

Feeding ourselves to satisfy true hunger does not cause weight gain and if people were better connected with these normal signals it would be almost impossible for anyone to become overweight. True hunger is felt in the throat, neck and mouth, not in the stomach or head. It is a drawing sensation. It is not very uncomfortable to feel real hunger, it makes food taste much better when you eat, and it makes eating an intense pleasure.

We do not have to carry around a calculator and a scale to figure out how much to eat. A healthy body will give us the correct signals. So in order to achieve superior health, maximize our longevity potential, and achieve our ideal weight, we have to eat healthy enough to get back in touch with true hunger and rid ourselves of this “toxic hunger”.

Every cell is like a little factory, it makes products, produces waste and then must compact, detoxify and remove waste. If we don’t ingest sufficient antioxidants and phytonutrients from our food choices, our cells are unable to effectively remove self-produced waste. If we let waste metabolites build up, the body will attempt to mobilize them (discomfort) when it can; but it only can do that effectively if not actively digesting food. Eating makes one feel better because it halts or delays the detoxification process.

My books, Eat to Live and Eat For Health explain how eating for health is the most effective way to reach our ideal weight and stay there permanently when you get there. There are lots of ways to lose weight, but only by eating lots of nutrient-rich foods as a method of choice for weight loss will we not have to fight off cravings and ill feelings.

In a portion controlled (calorie counting) diet it is likely that the body will not get adequate fiber or nutrients. The body will have a compounded sensation of hunger and craving which for most is simply overwhelming. It invariably results in people losing weight then gaining back their weight. Calorie counting simply doesn't work in the long run. Diets based on portion control and calorie counting generally permits the eating of highly toxic, low nutrient foods and then requires us to fight our addictive drives and attempt to eat less. This combination undernourishes the body resulting in uncontrollable and frequent food cravings.

Without an adequate education in superior nutrition and solid principles to stick to; these individuals are forced to flounder and fail bouncing from one diet to another, always losing a little and regaining. Frequently regaining more than they lost. With the right knowledge base, we can get more pleasure from eating and protect our precious health. So for superior health and our ideal weight, don’t diet, Eat For Health.


Joel Fuhrman, M.D is a board certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine. He is the author of the acclaimed books Eat To Live and Eat For Health. Visit his website at: drfuhrman.com and his blog at: diseaseproof.com.

Cravings....whoa, whoa, whoa, cravings

What do I crave every now and then?  Well, if you've read my "Where's the Willpower" post, I wrote that I have craved an Angry Whopper, chocolate, and all other kinds of foods.  Last night, I was being whiny to my husband just because I could LOL.

I listed all the foods I was thinking about when I whined....

Ice Cream (green tea, cookies n cream and kona coffee flavors)
Honolulu Burger Company's burgers and sweet potato fries
Jack In the Box curly fries
Subway sandwiches
Pasta, pasta, pasta!
Filet Mignon
Pizza
Wine...Riesling, Carbernet Sauvignion, Rose...even the cheap stuff!

The list can go on and on!  Not to mention the socialization that happens while eating these tasty foods.  This subject came up when I was talking with my cousins during our annual Christmas shindig.

But I really have to remind myself what will happen if I eat these foods.  I will have diarrhea, headaches, cramps, painful bloating, flushed feeling, and be on a sugar high for days!  I am human, and I do make mistakes.  And even with all the reminding, we still give in to old behaviors.  But oh man, once you've eaten clean for a while and then have these delicious foods, your system rejects it big time!  I know this for sure because this past Monday, I ate a typical American holiday meal:  stuffing with raisins and sausage, turkey, mashed potatoes with the gravy and green bean casserole.  It tasted great!  It was kind of a no choice situation.  I was at a friend's party and that's all the food they had...oh, and then dinner rolls!  I steered clear from the rolls, but I had everything else.  I didn't want to be rude and not eat their food...plus I was hungry!  I didn't eat a lot, but it was just enough for me to be in pain and discomfort for days....and still to this day!

The temptations are out there and will continue to haunt me.  I am so glad I do not have Celiac Disease.  I would be so miserable, but then again disciplined because people with that disease have way more health concerns than I do, and they steer clear of those foods.  Period.

I need to be more disciplined than how I am now so I don't get sick.

Change is good

In my last post, I had lots of changes.  I changed what I ate and I lost fat (not weight, but fat).  Now on to more changes.

I attempted to do an all vegetarian lifestyle...this lasted about 2 days LMAO.  It was really hard because my husband eats meat, and with the holidays here, I'm around family and friends more, who also eat meat, and lots of it!  I can honestly say that I do not care for pork, poultry or any red meat.  But I cannot give up fish and squid.  If I wasn't allergic, I would also still want shellfish!  I live in Hawaii, and that stuff is just everywhere.  Its in almost all the foods at family gatherings!  Plus I am scared to become anemic again.  But, if you do want to become a vegetarian, it is still possible to do so without being protein or iron deficient.  There are lots of foods out there that can provide those nutrients.  

But it wasn't all just a waist.  I am now able to cut back my protein from fish to just one serving a day, so I am mostly vegetarian :)  And there's so many benefits from not eating all those other meats...lessen the risk of cancer and illness due to bacteria in the food, and I have greatly reduced the risk of getting GMOs/hormones in my food.  As long as I buy local fish and fish caught in the wild, I am free of that risk!  And on top of all of that, I help reduce global warming, reduce my waste, and save on my grocery bill!  Once my husband gets rid of those other meats from his diet, we'll be able to save even more!

The other change was my food intake.  I know I have been preaching about the Diet Solution Program for months.  It is a great program and it taught me so much, especially about myself.  But for some reason, the weight stayed on me.  It was not until I started P90x that the weight started coming off again.  My coach told me that I should be cutting way more calories and stay away from oils/fats, contradicting the DSP teachings.  

 I have two conflicting view points, both with great advice on how to eat.  So what did I do? 

I took both concepts, one in each hand, and I fused them together! (This is for all you visual people).  I cut my calories to 1400kcals, count my calories, weight my food, eat organic, have protein and carbohydrates in each meal, eat 6 times a day every 2.5 hours, and cut out the oils/fats.  I may not have the right portions according to the DSP, but I have the best of both worlds.  

There are some studies out there that suggest your metabolism will adjust to your diet accordingly, and you will have a harder time losing weight.  So this calorie reduction will only last a couple of months, or until I start seeing a slow down in my progress.  Once that happens, I will add more servings to my meals of protein to throw it off for one month, and then go back down to 1400kcals.  

To tell you the truth, with me eating small meals throughout the day, I do not think I am dieting at all.  Plus I found lots of foods that are great tasting, filling and not "bad" for you at all!  

I still have to make organic, vegetarian filipino dishes and share them here.

.....

Day 60 fast approaches...I believe only 5 more days until I weigh and measure myself.  I also ordered a few vegetarian cook books and lifestyle books on Amazon.com, which should be coming in the mail shortly.  I can't wait!!!!!!!