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  1. This Could Work, Folks!

    Monday, January 31, 2011

    I gotta say, although Day 1 was not without minor challenges (I totally craved something, anything sweet), I do think I buy into this whole clean eating thing! During my boot camp workout, I didn't feel the same fatigue, soreness, and struggles that I usually do. Don't get me wrong, it was still a tough workout, it just didn't feel as mentally or physically draining as it did before. Maybe there really is something to eating to run. I'll let you know, hopefully before the end of 30 days. I would like to think there is more to this challenge than simply being able to complete it [without killing anyone for a piece of chocolate]. What follows is my food for the day.

     Breakfast:
    blueberries, raspberries, and slivered almonds in coconut milk with a side of coffee. Surprisingly satisfying and REALLY tasty. It is nearly prime berry season here in Florida. Strawberry Festival is next month!
     Lunch:
    Peppered canned tuna wrapped in red lettuce.
     Snacks:
    I've always been a grazer, so I ate most of what I brought to work over the course of the work day (generally from 10:30 AM through 3:30 PM). Today's choices included organic dried apricots, sugar snap peas, cashews, and an apple.
     Dinner:
    I made     chicken with onions, celery, and apples. I've got more than enough for a few servings. Thank goodness it was so packed with flavor and so filling.



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  2. Ol' Mother Hubbard

    Sunday, January 30, 2011


    So the food challenge begins tomorrow -- Monday morning. And lasts for 30 days. In preparation, I cleaned out all of my cupboards and my refrigerator today. A full bag of trash resulted. Half-eaten boxes of pasta, leftover boxes of crackers, and cereal -- gone. Out of fridge went leftover wine, creamer, old yogurt. Regardless of whether I am doing a food challenge, this exercise made it abundantly clear my food stocks needed a good clean out and organization. I'm surprised nothing was growing anywhere. After the jump, you will see some of the yummy things I plan on eating this week.

    I planned out much of my menu using the     Whole Life Eating blog because I have no idea what I'm doing...yet. The recipes are fairly simple, they just don't involve grains. Aack! Anyway, here's my plan, let's hope I can stick with it. For 30 days.

    Breakfast fortunately includes black coffee. I'll be eating berries with coconut milk and topped with slivered almonds most mornings. Otherwise, I'll have a banana. I was never one for a big breakfast anyway.

    Lunch will mostly be leftovers from dinner the night before, or I'll make lettuce wraps. The wrap filling will be things like tuna or waldorf salad.

    Dinner is where I'll be more creative -- cinnamon-spiced ribeye with carrots and squash, ground beef with baked sweet potato topped with pecans, chicken thighs with celery, onion, and apples. Sounds pretty delish, right? I'll let you know if any of them are here in reality.

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  3. Cleaning Up My Nutrition

    Friday, January 28, 2011


    Most of you know that I run to eat. That's been my motto since I first started training for my first (and only) marathon because let's face it, melted cheese, beer, and Combos are phenomenal. Lately, though, I think that might not be the best motto. Maybe one of the reasons I never see stellar run times, or improvement in my run times, is because I do not eat to run. In other words, my fitness reflects my fuel. Crappy fuel; crappy fitness. Good fuel; good fitness. [We won't even touch the subject of my erratic training methods as another reason for lack of improvement in results.]

    So, with the goal of improving my fuel, and hopefully my overall health, I am embarking on what will be a difficult challenge for the next month, starting January 30th. I am not alone, Jacob will be right there with me, but it ain't gonna be easy. The challenge is called The Whole30 and goes little something like this.
    I will not consume added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. [Kicking my chocolate habitat is going to be HAAAAAAARD.]

    I will not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, pre-packaged snacks/meals, protein bars, milk substitutes, etc.

    I will not drink alcohol, in any form. [MINUS, Whole30. BIG minus. I love dirty martinis!]

    I will not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, millet, oats, corn, rice, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. [But crackers and cereal are what I LIVE ON!!]

    I will not eat legumes. This includes beans (black, kidney, lima, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts or peanut butter. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin). [So sad, I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER.]

    I will not eat dairy. This includes all cow, goat or sheep’s milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, whey, ice cream, etc. [OH MY GOD, I KNOW. CHEESE!!!]

    I will not eat white potatoes.

    I know, it is EXTREME. But it is just 30 days. After 30 days, I will hopefully accomplish the following.
    1. I will know how to make healthier choices and how my food affects how I feel. I can loosen the reins, but not my hold over my nutrition.
    2. I will pay attention to what I put in my pie hole because right now, I do not. At all. And that's just sad.
    3. I will form habits -- including cooking fresh, real food meals -- that will last a lifetime and contribute to my overall health.

    I aim to post daily, if not weekly, what I am eating (and I'll try not to whine too much about what I'm not eating). Feel free to join in the Whole30 challenge with me and go through the grief of letting go of comfort foods like mac n' cheese, pasta, and port wine cheese and crackers. And Taco Bell. And chocolate. And chocolate milk. For one month.

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