Hey,

I’ve been meaning to tell you about something lately but kept putting it off. No, it’s nothing bad, but because it’s not really food related I’m feeling a little shy.  And besides, there’s been cookie dough and lemon bars.  Yeah, those got in the way. Anyhow, so here I am. Sharing some news. Well, not quite news but anyway here goes…

I am training for the Nike Women’s Marathon. Yep, I ran 14 miles this weekend and miraculously, I lived. I even still have the use of both of my legs.

I joined Team in Training (TNT) which means I’m also raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I have thought several times in the past about joining TNT but always chickened out because to me running 26 miles is way easier than asking people for money.

But last December, a close family friend, Mary Jane, was diagnosed with leukemia and at first, the doctors were saying scary things like “months to live”. It was devastating to the whole family.

Mary Jane is my California Mom. I stayed with her when I first moved to California for much longer than I probably should have, but she cared for me like her own daughter.

Mary Jane’s diagnosis was the extra push I needed to join TNT and get over my fear of fundraising. I’m still not excited about asking people for money, but when I think about the research that the money will fund.. the possible cure for blood diseases like Mary Jane’s… I get over my chickenhood.

If you’d like to make a tax deductible donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and help me meet my fundraising goal, check out my fundraising page here.

And even if you don’t, I’ll be back tomorrow with something delicious.

Thanks in advance,
-P

PS Have you tried these dulce de leche brownies yet?  You probably should.

Back in May I had turned over a new leaf.  I was walking with a pedometer and eating more veggies and felt pretty good about it.  I had even lost 1.5 pounds.  Soon after, I swapped running for walking and ditched the pedometer (only partly because I felt like a dork wearing a white pod on my pants every time I left the house).  I thought the more intense workouts would quickly show results, but I was wrong.

On the one hand, I was getting stronger.  I could run farther and faster.  And under the layers of cushion, I could feel my muscles getting firmer.  But the cushiony layer was not shrinking.  The scale was not budging.  And my jeans were tight as ever.  Frustration set in, and I may or may not have tried to soothe myself with ice cream and a couple of chick flicks (which I realize does not help the weight loss cause but sometimes that’s just what happens when you’re frustrated).

So one day last month, I was talking to a personal trainer about how I could tell I was getting stronger but my weight was not changing at all, despite progressively healthier eating and increasingly intense workouts since January.  He said I should consider a detox diet to give my metabolism a boost and recommended The UltraSimple Diet by Dr. Mark Hyman, saying that the first time he tried this detox a few years ago he lost 10 pounds in a week.

I don’t know about you, but when someone starts talking about losing 10 pounds in a week warning bells go off in my brain.  But I was frustrated enough to consider it.  I decided to read the book to see what sort of crazy techniques and concoctions the good doctor was trying to sell.  Turns out, it’s not all that crazy.

The idea behind the diet is that our world is full of toxins that we ingest and/or are exposed to and these toxins cause inflammation in the body.  And this inflammation leads to imbalances and diseases and weight gain.  Dr. Daniel Amen, who wrote Change Your Brain, Change Your Body, also talks about inflammation in the body.  And while I am still a skeptic about some parts of the diets and research related to this inflammation theory, I think it is plausible.  I mean, there is a lot of crap in the world and a lot of it is in our food so it is within the realm of possibility.

Anyway, the UltraSimple Diet book is a very dry read with a lot of infomercial-type sales pitches woven into the chapters, but the diet itself is reasonable.  There is a “preparation week” in which you eliminate sugar, flour, alcohol, dairy, and caffeine. Okay, I know, that in itself is a little crazy… I mean, no sugar or flour or dairy means no goodies!  But it’s not really that bad, you just have to be determined to stick to it.  The second week is the actual detox week.  You eat a lot of vegetables, brown rice, and lean protein, supplementing it with smoothies and vegetable broth.

There are other parts of the program that are a little odd like drinking 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the juice of half lemon, which I did a couple of times but ultimately decided it was okay to skip that part and just eat the veggies and brown rice.  And while you do have to be prepared mentally and well-stocked with veggies in the fridge, it is a doable 2 weeks.  Even for me, a confessed sugar addict and lover of butter.

I’m not saying everyone should run out and do this or any other detox.  I’m just sharing my experience. And while I won’t know the long-lasting results until more time has past (I’ll keep you posted), I am wearing my old favorite jeans as I write this.  Jeans I have not been able to squeeze into in over a year.  And that is enough success for me.

By the numbers:

• I lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks.
• My waist is 1 inch smaller
• My hips shrank 0.5 inch

The most visible difference is that cushiony layer got thinner. I’m not necessarily chalking up all of my progress to this detox since I have been running and working out, but I do think it was the boost I needed… if only to relieve my frustration. I broke though the plateau and am now working on getting over the next hump.

One of the pillars of the diet is a smoothie that in the book is called the UltraShake. To me it’s just a smoothie (I have a problem with attaching Ultra to everything). Anyway, the boosted protein content makes this more satisfying than my old standard soy milk + fruit smoothie. There are 3 different versions in the book, using 3 different sources of protein. I went with the silken tofu one because I have an aversion to protein powders.

I found the shake as written in the book had too much of a tofu flavor for me, so I played with the proportions until I had a palatable but still protein rich breakfast smoothie. I’m working my way back to normal meals, but I am eating more veggies than before the diet, and I still have one of these smoothies for breakfast a couple times a week.

Let’s make one now

You’ll need soymilk (as part of the diet I started using unsweetened but in the past have used vanilla soy milk which is also really good but you’ll be getting more sugar).  Almond butter adds a little richness but is totally optional.

To up the protein, use silken tofu.  You’ll only be using a little bit, so have a storage container handy for the extra.

(Totally optional) This is really-good-for-you stuff.  Loaded with omega-3s and fiber. I occasionally added this to my smoothies even before I did this diet. Note: it’s best to store this in the freezer because it can go bad on you very quickly if left out at room temperature.

Measure out 1/4 cup silken tofu into your blender.

2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed if you are using it.

Optional: 1 tablespoon of almond butter

Mix this on low.

Add half a banana.  As you can see from the ice crystals, mine is frozen.  I like to keep frozen bananas around for smoothies and/or banana bread (it’s best to peel them first, then store in a zip-top bag.  I used to store them in the peel but peeling a frozen banana is not fun.  Trust me). If you are using a frozen banana, it’s best to slice it up to make it easier on your blender (I always end up with unblended banana chunks when I don’t slice it but maybe my blender is weak).

1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen cherries

Add 1/4 cup of water (or more if it’s still too thick) and blend until smooth (start at the low speed and work your way up to high).

Cheers.

Breakfast Smoothie

(adapted from The UltraSimple Diet)

I prefer using frozen fruit in my smoothies because my blender doesn’t always handle ice cubes all that well. Note: Frozen fruit is usually frozen at the peak of ripeness so you aren’t sacrificing quality by choosing it over fresh. If you use fresh fruit instead of frozen, add a handful or so of ice to the blender.

1/4 cup silken tofu
1/4-1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seed (optional)
1 tablespoon almond butter (optional)
1/2 banana, sliced (frozen if possible)
1/4 cup frozen cherries
1/4 frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water (or more depending on your preferred thickness)

1. Put tofu, soy milk, and banana into the blender with flax seed and almond butter if using, and blend on low until it’s mixed up.
2. Add berries, cherries, and water. Blend starting on low and working your way up to high until everything is smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

• With almond butter: 266 calories, 11g fat, 9.7g protein, 33.5g carbohydrates (7g fiber)
• Without almond butter: 171 calories, 6.2g protein, 30.5g carbohydrates (5g fiber)

Breakfast Smoothie

In the last couple of months I’ve faced the truth about my eating habits, and though I struggled a bit at first to make changes, I had a bit of a breakthrough recently. And while I am ecstatic that I finally saw the scale move in the right direction last week (I lost 1.5 pounds!), the biggest difference I’ve noticed is that I feel better (shocking, right?).

Some of the changes I’ve noticed:

• Improved mood: I feel happy. And I haven’t had the crazy mood swings (you know where all of sudden the sugar or caffeine or alcohol or chocolate wears off and suddenly you’re sad or grouchy). I have even found myself spontaneously dancing in the morning although that could be more from me being goofy than anything I’m eating.
• Better sleep: I can’t remember when it started but until a few weeks ago I didn’t feel like I could ever get enough sleep. I’d sleep 8 or more hours and wake up feeling lethargic and wanting a nap. But in the last few weeks, I wake up with energy, ready to tackle the day.
• Less bloated: even when I should be bloated.
• More energy: I don’t just wake up with energy, I have energy all day. It’s crazy.
• Improved complexion: I’ve never really had a bad complexion but I’ve noticed my skin is more radiant and supple (I really don’t like that word but it is the best one I can think of to describe the change. Are there words you just don’t like?). And I need less moisturizer.

What I’m doing different

• I’m drinking more water:
  I bought a new water bottle (pictured up top) to help me drink more water. It holds 24 ounces of water, so I figure I need to drink 3-4 bottles per day. If you go by the 8-8ounce glasses rule, I need to drink 2.7 bottles per day. But if you go by the “half your body weight in ounces” rule, it’s a little over 3, so I aim for 3-4. The downside of drinking more is that it means peeing a lot more. This can be annoying sometimes but in theory my body will get used to it soon and then I won’t have to pee as much. And the benefits outweigh the annoyance.
• I’m moving my butt more:
  I bought a pedometer after reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen decided she wanted to exercise better and as part of that effort she decided to wear a pedometer for a while to see how much she was walking. What she found was by tracking her steps, she walked more. I liked the simplicity of the idea so decided I would give it a shot. And while I don’t really push myself toward 10,000 steps per day the way Gretchen did, I do walk more. In a way the pedometer serves as a small reminder to get off of the couch and stop watching television. I don’t expect to wear it forever, but it has helped me be more aware of how much I am (or am not) moving.
• I’m eating 5 a day:
  I try to eat a piece of fruit or vegetable with every meal and most snacks. It’s easier than it sounds: thawed out frozen blueberries or a banana on top of cereal for breakfast, an apple with peanut butter for a snack, lots of tomato in my pasta, etc. The last time I focused on eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday (about 2.5 years ago), I lost 5 pounds in a month without making any other changes. So I’m giving it another shot. I’ve been doing this now for almost 2 weeks and have lost 1.5 pounds.
• I don’t let myself get bored:
  I bake when I’m bored. I eat when I’m bored. I watch mind-numbing reality television (Clean House anyone?) while eating chocolate chip cookies when I’m bored… well, you get the idea. I’m finding other ways to keep my hands busy, like writing and crafting. And other ways to keep my mouth busy like talking with friends and chewing gum.

I still have a ways to go to my weight loss goal but I’ve made progress and I’ll get there little by little without starving myself or working out 4 hours a day. I was just excited to discover all of the other benefits that I wanted to share it with you.

What habits have made the biggest impact on your health?

I’m going to keep this update short and sweet (well, not too sweet). Week 2 was tougher than week 1. The shiny new-ness of the year already started to fade and with it my enthusiasm for avoiding sugary treats and exercising. I ran and went to spin class and even added a couple of short weight sessions. Dan and I also went climbing for the first time in several months. So overall, I feel like I made progress on my fitness goals. I’m feeling stronger and breathing easier on my runs.

My eaating was pretty good until Friday. The only bad thing I can say about is that I was not eating enough because I was forever hungry. Starving really. I met Dan for coffee on Tuesday and requested we go somewhere with food otherwise I might have to eat his arm. He found me a snack.

And then there was Friday… a day full of delicious, but not-so-light food. First, I met Luna for lunch at the Home of Chicken and Waffles in Oakland. If you ever have the privilege to dine with Luna, do it. She’s a breath of fresh air. But back to the food… Chicken and waffles. Do I really need to say any more? Well, I will say this: it was the best damn fried chicken I’ve had in a long time. And the waffle. Oh the waffle…

For dinner on Friday, Dan took me out to Masa’s (yes, I am spoiled) which can be summed up in 5 words: wine, foie gras, candy cart. (candy cart!). I probably don’t need to tell you that I was smitten with the candy cart. Full of beautiful little truffles and macarons (my first taste of macaron… I am hooked now). When we were done with dinner and the candy cart, Dan was finishing his coffee. And it was then that I saw our waiter bringing out the candy cart for the table next to us. I looked at him then looked at the cart then looked at him again. He looked at me quizzically and I was high on sugars so couldn’t stop myself from blurting out “I love the candy cart!”. The waiter smiled at me and said: “Well, that explains the Cheshire cat smile.” (really, the smile was me trying to figure out how I could sneak another macaron off of the cart but he didn’t need to know that).

I have spent Saturday and Sunday trying to recover. Tomorrow it’s back to spin class and avoiding candy carts and fried chicken.

P.S. I love candy cart! (“I love lamp!”… name that movie).

This was my first full week of exercise in a long time, and I’m happy to report I survived. My legs did not fall off, and my head did not explode. Sometimes I worry about these things… I mean, you never know.

I didn’t lose much weight (only half a pound), but I’m focused on getting in shape right now. Sometimes you have to get in shape before you can really burn it off or to say it simply: more muscle = more fat burning power. This week, I did three run/walks and went to two spin classes. And as a bonus, Dan and I went on a 2.5 hour hike yesterday… and now my butt is sore (so many hills). At first, my lungs burned as I ran up the hills, but I did it in intervals of 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking so even though I was huffing and puffing I knew I had a break coming soon. That plus some good music made it easier. And by the third run this week, I wasn’t huffing or puffing as much and my feet felt lighter.

In the upcoming week I plan to repeat the running and spin classes from this week and add a little bit of strength training to start toning up my wobbly arm flaps.

I had forgotten how good exercise can make improve your mental fitness as well. My mood was much improved all week. I laughed more and smiled more. And my brain fog started to clear. I even felt myself standing taller. And with the extra energy, I decluttered most of my apartment.

How do you feel when you exercise?