...itchy scratchy...

I'm SEXY...make that ITCHY and I know it!  So the latest saga is that I have a rash from my neck to my ankles.  Every inch of me itches.  It's yet another sign that my crap diet was filling me with poison that my body is trying to get rid of.  Wow.  Am I a mess or what?!?!?!?

Well, either way...I'm in this for 30 days and I am not giving up.  When I put my mind to something, I'm like a train...practically unstoppable, so I'll keep movin and scratching.  LOL!  There's not much to report that anyone really wants to hear.  I mean c'mon am I like 80 or what?  The list of aches and pains and being tired and feeling bad and having a rash is SO NOT what anyone wants to read so I'm gonna throw a random suggestion/thought out there instead.

Think about doing something new that is enjoyable.  All this healthy eating stuff is totally new to me but I want to try and find a positive focus that will help me and that I will enjoy so I'm thinking I need a cooking class.  Whether I learn from friends or attend a formal class, I don't know but I think it would be fun and it sure would make my meals more exciting and make this a little less hard.  That's my "new" something!  What's yours gonna be?

We are nearing the halfway point of our 30 days!  Don't slack or give up or get lazy!  Keep the fire and passion alive!  I wish I had more to say but I need to scratch myself go to bed now!  Hang tough guys! 

Do or do not...it's up to YOU

You either WILL or you WON'T.  You DO or you DON'T.  There is no try or maybe tomorrow.  It's RIGHT NOW.

It's tough to completely change the way you think...eat...live, but guess what...YOU get to CHOOSE whether or not you will change.  No one will make you and I can't speak for everyone else, but I won't dislike anyone that chooses another way.  I did for years, and that's why this is so hard now.

I've been sick and suffered but I will NOT quit or cheat.  It's 30 DAYS...30 FREAKIN days!  If I can't do something for 30 days...I fear what will happen if God forbid I ever face a real hardship like cancer or losing a child.  I'm doing this to prove to myself that I CAN keep going when the going gets tough.  The amazing, crazy part is that when it's over, I will not have just ENDURED.  If I am true to the process I will have changed and become better...not perfect...BETTER.

I compare it to having a baby.  You go through 9 months of pregnancy and then hell on Earth to deliver a child.  It's hard work and it hurts, but in the end...when they hand you that precious baby...it all becomes worthwhile and the discomfort becomes a fading memory.  Please.  If you read this and you are doing the 30 Day Challenge with me, PLEASE HANG ON!  Don't cheat yourself out of that beautiful end result.  Make good choices and be strong.  In the end, you won't regret it.  If you screwed up, START OVER with new determination and forget about yesterday.  Worry about today.  Take it one meal...one snack...one temptation at a time.  Believe that you CAN and decide that you WILL. 

I was still very sick today, but I'm feeling a little better tonight.  I was not able to workout and I slept through lunch (VERY unusual for me).  I had no appetite, but made myself eat twice.  Here are the two meals I had:

"Don't mind the (wo)man behind the curtain!"

Here I sit...at my little desk in front of the window in my bedroom...typing on my computer as tears fall and I try to avoid them hitting the keyboard of my beloved Mac.  I feel absolutely terrible, and tonight I'm finding it hard to be positive.  I want to be strong.  Really, I do.  That's what I preach every day.  But right now...I feel anything but strong...physically or mentally.

Remember when Dorothy traveled to Oz to find the Wizard because he was supposed to be all knowing and be able to help her get back home and when she arrived she realized that he was just a man behind a curtain?  Well, I feel a little like the Wizard.  There's a part of me that feels a bit like the Great Oz.  I want to help and be everything that people want me to be, but in the end...he was a man and I am just a woman.

I am sick and I'm hurting...bad.  My stomach has been in painful knots for days and my energy is gone.  I've even had body aches that sent me to bed at 9pm last night...not at all normal for this night owl.  Tonight after dinner, I got an excrutiating headache...the kind where it feels like a pressure cooker and the top of my head could blow off at any moment.  I've put up with these symptoms and remained positive because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I need to get healthier and rid my body of the "junk" I've been putting in it my whole life.

Tonight I feel sad.  Its almost like I'm mourning my old life even though I know the new one is better and healthier.  I miss eating Frosted Flakes indian style on my bed while I watch old episodes of "Sex & The City" late at night.  I miss going out to eat when I've worked all day and not having to feel limited or worry about what to order and how I'll order it.  I miss not caring how long it takes to get the food at my favorite Mexican restaurant because there's a "bottomless" basket of chips in front of me.  I miss grabbing a Three Musketeers bar when I need a lil pick me up in the afternoon.  I miss feeling normal...free of pain and full of energy.  And because I feel weak...and sad...I feel like I'm letting everyone else down that have traveled so far wanting my help.

But here's the thing I realize as I sit here...just as Dorothy did not need the Wizard to get home, no one here NEEDS me to get them healthy or make their choices for them.  The power lies within each of us to be better, healthier, stronger.  It may be hard to believe now, but soon each person that sticks with this 30 Day Challenge and is successful will realize that while I may have given you the idea or a little motivation along the way...YOU are doing the work.  YOU are making the choices.  It's not enough just to want to lose weight.  You have to want change...long lasting change.  And just like Dorothy says before she left Oz, "...If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard, because if it isn't there...I never really lost to begin with."  Look inside yourself.  Everything you need is there.  That is true for you, and it's true for me as well.

I WILL get through this and I WILL be grateful for every hardship and ache and pain and inconvenience along my own yellow brick road...and I will be stronger for it and glad that I didn't quit when it got tough.

Pardon the mess...

Pardon the mess and delay...I'm under construction.  No, my house is not being remodeled, and my computer has not been in the shop.  It's ME that's currently under construction and that's why there have been no blog posts.  I've either been sick or asleep every night.  So I'll add a bunch of meal pics to this and then start fresh from today forward.

FRIDAY NIGHT

SATURDAY (traveling to Whole 9 workshop)  I did NOT eat this!!!  Even though my friend ordered this and had it in front of me...and I wanted to scarf it down...badly.  Instead I had a taco salad with NO sour cream or cheese and uses tomato salsa as the dressing

SUNDAY

Day 4...nO tImE tO cOOk?...

I woke up with more to do than hours in the day.  That's pretty normal these days.  Between 3 kids, working part time at the gym, 4 Facebook pages, 1 Facebook group, 2 blogs, 2 tee shirt shops, and lots of emails coming in every day...I'm spread pretty thin and unfortunately, I'm NOT known for my organization or time management skills.  So I rushed around and made calls and answered emails etc etc etc after I dropped the kids off at school.

It got to be later in the morning and I realized that I hadn't eaten breakfast.  I went in the kitchen thinking..."What am I going to eat?!?"  Before I knew it, I had sliced up fresh spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, shitake mushrooms, and green onions and I was sauteeing the mixture in Ghee and sprinkling it with Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb flavoring.  The smell was incredible!  After maybe one minute, I poured in 2 beaten eggs and scrambled the mixture together.  I took a pic because it was so pretty and sent it to a few friends doing this with me.  I got a bunch of different reactions, but one struck me in particular.

A guy from the gym that I train said, "Nice!  We as a society are convinced by fast food companies and processed food companies that cooking healthy takes too long!"  I thought about that, and it's so true.  So many times, I've eaten crap or gone out because it was too late or I didn't have time to cook.  But everything I've made these past few days has been pretty quick and I did it on the fly.

We always say we don't have time for things that we don't WANT to do, but here's the honest truth.  If you have time to watch TV, Facebook, read, shop, or talk on the phone...you have time to cook!  Don't lie to yourself and cheat yourself out of a healthy life and the satusfaction that comes from taking care of your body.  MAKE TIME TO COOK HEALTHY MEALS FOR YOURSELF.  PERIOD.  You'll be surprised what you can do in a short time!

WORKOUT:

Worksets of Back Sqauts and Bench Press  then extra cardio

Day 3...HELLO. My name is Lethargic...

It's Day 3 and I overslept...again.  I've been really sleepy but I don't know if it's from my body having withdrawals from sugar or because it seems like EVERY night I'm up past 1 AM working on my computer.  Either way...it was a hectic morning and I was glad that I had leftover roast to grab and take with me to the gym to eat for breakfast.

I got there and ate as much as I could before it was time to teach the class and I felt good.  I was excited and had decent energy.  After class, the day was a blur of working out, speaking with an attorney on the phone, emails from my t shirt lady, and a full afternoon of taking my older sister to the doctor, pharmacy, and lunch...a very LATE lunch.  We ate out at Chilis but I still did well.  I asked for grilled chicken, grilled veggies, and a salad with NO dressing and NO cheese and NO croutons.  I'm sure it wasn't optimal as I don't know how it was cooked, but it was better than my usual meals at Chilis.  I had barely enough time to get my sister home and get back in town in time to teach the 5:30 pm class.

Everyone is buzzing about the 30 Day Challenge in the gym.  My friend Keri was saying that she's very tired and not feeling well, and I proceeded to say that I've felt good and had pretty good energy.  There were a ton of people there and once we were done...I headed home to cook.  Normally I would've met my family out and eaten at a local Mexican restaurant...a usual Wednesday night event...but tonight I was determined to cook.  It was ironic that I said I was feeling good and when I got home, I felt EXHAUSTED.  I was slow and lethargic and I had a bad tummy ache.  It took me longer but I pressed through and cooked dinner.

Now I sit here feeling like I have no energy.  It is a struggle to type this and all I can think about is my comfy bed, which is where I'm headed when I'm done writing.  In the past, I would've said "SCREW THIS!" and quit...but now...things are different.  I feel committed to this process and there's some small part of me excited by my discomfort.  It's like the bad, sluggish feeling is an obvious sign that my body is changing and will soon adapt...kinda like when you are sore after a workout.  It hurts, but it's a reminder that you worked hard.  I'm embracing every part of this and I am determined to see this through.  I'm going to bed...not dreading the possibility of waking up and still feeling like this but with passion and high hopes for a better, healthier, STRONGER future!

 WORKOUT:
ROW 1000M

100 KETTLE BELL SWINGS (45 LBS)
50 BOX JUMPS  (22 IN)
50 KTEs (Knees To Elbows)

PLANK HOLDS (1 MIN FRONT, 30 SEC EA SIDE - 2 MINUTE REST BETWEEN - 3SETS

DAY 2...pride, disappointment, and resurrection...

So today was Day 2 of the "30 DAY CHALLENGE".  I woke up HUNGRY...really hungry.  This is not unusual.  I always wake up hungry.  What's different is that now I don't stumble in the kitchen and grab a meal replacement bar or Low Fat Pop Tart.

I put off breakfast and worked for an hour after I took kids to school and then I made my breakfast.  It's different to eat this way.  I usually don't look at or think about my food and I certainly don't arrange it all pretty or take a picture.  Breakfast was good and filled me up.  I went back to work and before I knew it...it was almost 2PM and I hadn't eaten lunch.  I have been so busy, that there hasn't been as much planning and preparation as I would like.  Surprisingly, I came up with a lunch idea on the fly and it took a while to cook, but it was really delicious.

Once lunch was through, I called my Mom to get a quick reminder on how long to cook a roast.  She told me and then I got out the roast, brazed it on all sides with onions and using Ghee/clarified butter.  I poured water in the pan to make my own beef broth of sorts, because today I learned how important reading labels is and that there is sugar in things you would never guess...like in bouillon, broths, and dried marinade mixes.  I was tired and felt like I had spent half my day slaving in the kitchen, but there was a real sense of accomplishment and pride.

I set out to the post office late in the day to mail off STRONG LOLA orders that had come in and then I headed to the park to run.  I knew I had just enough time to do all this and come home to a savory roast...ready to add carrots and also potatoes for my kids.  My house smelled so good and I left excited to eat the roast later.  That excitement quickly faded when I walked in the door a couple of hours later and I smelled it...my roast.  It was that strong, I'm about to burn whatever it is I'm cooking smell.  Panic set in...and for good reason.  I opened the oven and my beautiful roast was all alone in the center of a dish...looking almost black and the onions were black and stuck to the bottom of the dish.  (see pics below!)

I'm not gonna lie.  I cried.  I was thinking about how hard I'm trying and felt defeated.  I told my kids to call their Dad and tell him that he would have to take them to get something to eat.  I added some beef stock and carrots and fresh, non burnt onions to another dish (see the original ruined, burnt dish in pics below!  LOL!) and plopped it back in the oven.  I decided that I would eat it no matter what.  When I went back to get my disastrous creation out, to my surprise the roast was looking better.  It had absorbed a lot of the juices and while it was still overcooked, it looked ok.  I made a plate and took a bite.  It was DELICIOUS!  I couldn't believe that after texting friends and crying my eyes out, I had resurrected a pot roast!!!

What I learned is that there will be mistakes along the way.  I wanted a candy bar in the worst way when things started to go wrong, but I didn't eat sweets and I got through it stronger in the end.  2 Days down...28 more to go!

Here's what I ate:

 

WORKOUT:

Run 5 miles

Day 1...And the pendulum swings...

I need another blog and another page to manage on Facebook like I need a hole in the head, but as always...I never start something just because.  There is always a reason or emotion behind it, so here I go with my next blog only this is a little different for me.  To say that I'm amazed and overwhelmed by the way people have embraced my "STRONG LOLA 30 DAY CHALLENGE", is an understatement.  I hoped to have maybe a hundred people willing to indulge my desire to do something good.  To see the number of people rise to over 600 is shocking and heart warming at the same time!

I want to start first by explaining what exactly this means to me and to anyone that joins me and/or reads this.  I'm a control freak and a perfectionist.  I've been through many things in my life that would surprise people, but I've worked hard to overcome them and have a good life.  And I have...had a great life for a long time.  There was a time when it seemed that I had it all...literally.  A handsome, successful husband that provides well and spoiled me...3 amazing, beautiful, smart, healthy, great kids...a nice home...a Mercedes (that I can't seem to stop crashing into things)...a job I love and a great body that was the product of my very own weight loss success story etc etc etc.  I STILL have much to be thankful and I STILL have a great life, but in the past year...many things have gone wrong and things I took for granted have felt like they are slipping through my fingers.  I have felt very sad at times and it has taken a toll.

I didn't like feeling out of control and I wasn't liking what I saw in the mirror when I got out of the shower as much as I use to.  I talked about change and tried to take shortcuts.  But eventually, I knew I needed something more in depth...something more drastic to regain control and start to feel better.  I decided to do a "30 Day Paleo Challenge".  I have never been one for eating super healthy and I LOVE LOVE LOVE sugar.  I knew that if I was going to be successful I needed to be accountable.  I mentioned doing this with the people I train at the gym on Facebook and a lady commented about how she wished she had someone to do this with as well.  The light bulb came on and the idea for the "STRONG LOLA 30 DAY CHALLENGE" was born.  My greatest desire has always been to do something with my life that can help other people and I knew this could change a lot of lives.

I won't lie.  There were times over the past week that I feared these 30 days.  I wondered how a girl that eats out every day and hates to cook and has an extremely busy life and is super picky with the palate of a toddler raised on fried comfort foods would be able to adapt to this lifestyle but I was determined to try do it!  And so today was Day 1 and I'm happy to say that it went MUCH better than expected!  Not every day will be like today, but I know this is worth it and I feel really proud of myself.  I know that every person that does this challenge with me will get different things out of it and is doing it for different reasons.  Because of this, I feel like everyone needs to choose your own way...the "road" that is best for you individually and that fits best into your life.  That is why the challenge doesn't say "Paleo Challenge".  It just says "Challenge".  For me personally, it's a Paleo challenge but for someone else it may be a challenge to workout every day.  I am following the Whole 30 Plan but I think the 21 Day Detox Plan is great as are many other plans.  CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND STICK WITH IT.

Everyday, I plan to come here and post my menu and workout and write about my feelings or any issues I may be having.  I do this as a form of help and as a way to stay accountable and motivated.  Today started very rough with my weighing and measuring myself and my "BEFORE" picture was less than flattering.  I felt pretty low but I made a decision that I would not beat myself up or feel negative and defeated all day.  I decided to look forward not back...to be excited for the future and the changes coming my way and get rid of the negativity that I normally would've clung to.  That attitude made all the difference and so I look forward to tomorrow...not with fear, but with excitement!


BREAKFAST

2 Eggs over medium
4 slices of bacon
Strawberries, rasberries, and blackberries  




LUNCH


Grilled Chicken breast
Grilled veggies (zucchini, squash, broccoli, mushrooms, and peppers)
Salad with no dressing...just lemon juice squeezed on top

                                                                            
                                                                             DINNER

Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein

(And my kids used to eating out and eating fast food liked it!!!)



Recipe:  http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/01/chicken-and-vegetable-lo-mein.html

WARMUP:         1000M Row
                            Dynamic Stretching
                            Shoulder Mobility

WORKOUT:       Power Clean and Jerk

                              3-3-3-3-3   (75 lbs)

                                          
                               THEN: 

                           As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 Minutes of:

                           5 Press (65lb)

                           7 Front Squat  (65lb)

                           15 Mountain Climbers