AMELIA'S HEALTHY LIFE

Zero Carb: A minimalist approach

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 23:15:00 +0000

Throughout the years, I have spent innumerable time, energy, and thought on health and wellness. I've gone through periods where I'm super tuned in and motivated as well as ones where I'm burnt out and in no mood to make the effort. Through all this, I have progressed along an all too common evolution of thought starting with the mainstream options like Weight Watchers and South Beach and then learning about ancestral and lower carb diets like Paleo and Keto.

Along the way, I've had varied levels of success in terms of weight regulation, resolution of health issues (like GERD, PMS, psoriasis, and headaches), mood stability, and energy levels. So much has resolved for me and I love being healthy and free from those problems that I'm sure would only have intensified with age had I not taken steps to correct my behavior.

And yet. The elephant in the room -- weight. Size. Body image. After all I've done, gone through, and grown, this still plagues me. I work hard to focus on all of the amazing non-scale related benefits but this issue haunts me, despite my best efforts not to care. It is frustrating to come so far but not "look the part". I know it shouldn't matter and my authority should not be tied to how I look, but yet...

This brings me to where I am now in my journey. Several years ago, I discovered an amazing blog, My Zero Carb Life. I was intrigued but not convinced that this step to zero plants was necessary (zero carb is a misnomer, it's really more about eliminating plant foods). But the seed was planted, no pun intended, and came back around to the forefront of my mind recently with a surge in interest in what is now being talked about as a "carnivore" diet.

Being near the end of my rope in my struggle to stay on track, I thought, what the heck? I've been on and off of this way of eating for the past few months, managing about 30-days at a stretch plant-free. I have to admit it does wonders for quieting down cravings but is seen as completely bonkers by most, so is hard to talk about in real life. The 100% elimination of all sweeteners (both caloric and noncaloric) is a huge benefit to me. The increase in protein is also great for my energy levels.

This plan on the face of it seems incredibly restrictive but has the counter-intuitive effect of being quite freeing. Cooking and planning my meals has never been more simple. Most days I throw burgers or steaks in a pan a couple times and call it good. Seriously. I rarely think much about food when I'm not eating, which is such a change for me.

That said, it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. I've had a few issues with gluten-free baking with Sammy 5 and had a few run-ins with chocolate. But all in all, this is the easiest plan I have ever tried. The weight issue is still up in the air -- I seem to go up and down without a clear trend as of yet. But, the other results have been so positive that I'm willing to stick it out and see how it goes from here.

Some great resources I've discovered include the Zeroing in on Health and Zero Carb Health Facebook groups, which I appreciate for the simplicity and consistency of their message. I also like the Carnivore Cast, and KETOMAD for podcast and YouTube inspiration. I plan to keep on learning more and settling in to this minimalist eating style to see where it takes me. Wish me luck!

Cute Baby Chronicles: Food

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 21:06:00 +0000

Cute Baby is now 18 months old! I thought I'd take this opportunity to talk about how we're handling food in our house.

We're generally following a philosophy called Baby Led Weaning, which starts bambinos off with solid food no earlier than 6 months old. And, instead of starting with cereals or purees, we started out with real food -- basically what we eat, just cut into pieces he could manipulate. It has been a hit with him from the start. He doesn't have much interest in pureed food or even those handy pouches that would make my life so much easier - ahem.

So far his favorite foods include, broccoli, tomatoes, hamburger, and chicken/beef/lamb on the bone. Yes, I'm serious. I was saying to my mother in law the other day that all of those foods were ones I ate copious amounts of while pregnant (and still do). Is there a connection? Who knows? He'll eat a cookie here or there but doesn't seem to give them much attention. This is amazing to me!

My main goal is to NOT pass on my own hang-ups and issues with food to him (as much as is possible). I want to offer mostly nutrient dense options and have him grow up thinking food is food: no need for special "kids meals" or anything. So far, he is taking to that like a champ. However, I do not want to give him a complex or restrict things. I feel like that only leads to dysfunction later. As a result, I'm not freaking out about animal crackers in the house, etc. He'll also be free to chose what he wants outside of the house as he gets older. Barring any food allergies (none so far), he will be in charge of what he eats. Our job as parents will be to provide lots of healthy options (and some fun ones, too), but it's his job to decide what goes in his mouth and how much.

We're not giving him juice because that adds way too much sugar to a kid's daily diet (in my opinion) but I'm also not going to not allow him to have it if someone offers it outside the house. It's not a "bad" food, it's just not an everyday at-home food. And he loves his milk. We buy organic whole milk and he's been enjoying that since he turned 12 months old. He still gets that in a bottle a few times a day, but otherwise uses a sippy cup/water bottle for water throughout the day.

Sometimes it doesn't seem like he's eating a lot and the mother hen in me gets worried. But, I remind myself that our bodies are smart and he'll eat what he needs as long as it's offered often enough. He certainly is growing on schedule -- boy that kid is solid!

Fit by Forty (Keto) Month 1 Update

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 20:52:00 +0000

There is nothing like results to keep the motivation coming! My one month results are in and I'm down a total of 8.6 lbs since my birthday. Better yet, when noting my progress on a spreadsheet I keep, I realized that I'm actually down 19.6 lbs since my heaviest back in February 2016. Back then I did 6 weeks without sweetener to great success. Why did I stop? I have no idea.... Seems crazy now but life happens and the commitment just wasn't there at that time. I had a short term goal that I reached and then, I stopped. Such is life! Now, I'm in it to win it.

As I mentioned in my last post, the hardest part of all this was making the decision. Since then, I've felt so incredible that I can't even fathom why on Earth I'd ever change what I'm doing. I am still in awe of how few cravings I have. To not agonize and struggle to resist sweets is so fantastic. My energy levels are high -- I wake up feeling pretty good after about 7.5 hours sleep. I used to need a minimum of 8 hours to just feel somewhat OK and would often sleep over 9 hours and still feel groggy.

Getting food from Power Supply has been so wonderful. I've taken a break from my habit of Food as Hobby and put feeding myself more on autopilot. Don't get me wrong, I still cook but it's not the dominating activity of my days. Having ready made dishes on hand for myself has been so freeing.

I've also been binge-listening to the Primal Potential podcasts. I love Elizabeth's focus on mindset -- I truly believe that is where all the magic happens. Finding ways to be my own cheerleader and to believe can I really do this has been critical so far. I'm making my way through her archive in between my regular old friends: Keto Talk, 2 Keto Dudes, and the Ketoevagelist. Something Elizabeth says is that we need to line up our intention with our attention. Listening to podcasts throughout the days keeps my goals front and center and keeps my attention on what I really want.

Most importantly I've had nothing less than complete support from Cute Man, who has ridden the waves of all my healthy endeavors over the years. He never judges or interferes. Instead, he cheers me on and reminds me how much he cares about me, no matter what. I love you, Cute Man!

Operation Fit by Forty - Keto Edition

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 20:18:00 +0000

This is a big year for me. I just turned 39 and I'm looking down the road, right at 40. I've decided that it's high time to get my act together and become the healthy mama I've always dreamed of being. I've come to realize that I have a true problem with sugar and all things sweet, whether they have calories or not. As a result, as of my birthday in late August, I have sworn off all sweeteners for the foreseeable future, most definitely until my next birthday.

It is such a scary prospect, giving up something entirely. It's truly frightening to use the word, "never". That is, until I make the definitive decision. After that point, everything becomes easier. I did this with gluten years ago. It doesn't faze me to be around it - it's like it's not even food to me anymore. It's a hard NO so I don't have to expend any willpower to resist it. It's not a decision I need to make. That decision was made long ago and now all I have to do is follow through.

I recently realized that I never made that hard and fast decision in regard to sugar and certainly not no-calorie sweeteners. I thought the latter was just fine as long as I stuck to the "better" ones like stevia. That always left the door open to some - but how much? Trying to moderate this, did take up my willpower, and keeping my taste for all things sweet with noncaloric sweeteners induced me to want the real thing not too much later.

In my efforts to support my decision, I'm adding some tools:

Never Binge Again: This book gave me permission to just say no to sweeteners and that it's OK to put things on the never list. I also now know that all those feable objections are all coming from my inner "Pig" who just wants to eat and eat whatever she wants, regardless of the consequences.

Keto Coaching: I've been doing email coaching with Katrina. She has an incredible story and is inspiring me to stay the course! It is great having someone to check in with.

Power Supply: I've wanted to try this meal service for a long time. I've decided to go this route after doing Sunbasket for a time (similar to Blue Apron but all organic and Paleo is an option). For a similar cost, the meals are already prepared and I don't have to pay any shipping because I pick food up at a local drop location. I'm not doing this for all my meals, just for work lunches and as a fill-in for those times I'd otherwise be tempted to order take-out or eat something quick and easy, but not particularly satisfying. It will also add a bit more variety into my diet. I've gotten stuck in a rut lately and I don't seem to have the gumption to get super creative in the kitchen myself right now. Sometimes, I just wish there was something already there and ready to go. And now there will be! I start on Thursday and I'm super excited. My referral code is LMQM, if you want to try it out, too.

Since going completely off sweeteners two weeks ago, I've seen my appetite lessen and all my cravings disappear. It is an amazing thing! And it's getting me results: I've seen 5 lbs go on the scale. That of course is not the end all be all, but it is an encouraging sign. My ultimate goal is to be 50-75 lbs down this time next year.

Adventures in Gestational Diabetes Testing

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 19:44:00 +0000

I needed a hug!

It has recently become standard practice to test every pregnant woman for gestational diabetes (GD) somewhere between 24-28 weeks along. There are many good things about this, mostly because once identified, there are real tangible things one can do to prevent the associated complications, often only with changes in diet and lifestyle.

My objection, personally, only came up to the method of testing. In an effort to make the process uniform, they use a glucose solution called Glucola to give you a set amount of sugar. The first screening test involves drinking the solution (50g of glucose from dextrose/corn sugar) within 5 minutes, waiting an hour, and then having blood drawn to test glucose levels. If your levels are high for this (over 140), you go on to do a similar procedure with 100g solution. This time, you have to come in fasted, have blood drawn, drink the solution, and get tested each hour for 3 hours. If any two of your values are considered high, you are officially diagnosed as having GD.

I get why this would be a very convenient and standardized way to do this for the medical community. You can compare data across populations and have very clear procedures. However, as an individual patient with my own needs, concerns, and medical history, this procedure was not in my best interest. As someone who has followed a whole foods based diet low in processed sugar and grains for several years (four now), I know that my body does not handle those things well at all. And I'm not alone in this. I am in no way perfect with my eating, but I do eat far less than the average amount of refined sugar. As a result, my system isn’t used to having to deal with large doses of glucose all at once and takes a bit longer to clear such occasional occurrences. I don’t believe this to be a pathological state or any problem for my overall health. Ironically, if I was eating an unhealthy diet of processed food, my body would probably be better equipped to deal with the sugar load, in the short term. The problem with this, though, is that over time my system would get worn out from such a taxing business and that is how Type 2 diabetes develops. You basically get burned out. With my former habits and family history, I know that would have inevitably been my fate, had I not changed my ways.

So back to this whole GD thing. I was pretty sure I was going to fail that test. I talked with my doctor about an alternative – what *I* care about is how *my* body is handling the actual food I eat every day, not how I handle a glass of flat sugary soda I’d never drink willingly in a million years. I bought a blood glucose meter and told her I’d be willing to test my sugars 4 times a day for a couple weeks to see how my body was handling what I actually eat. No dice. I was told I must do the glucose tolerance test. I know in theory that all health procedures are, in the end, up to the patient and that no one could force me to do anything. But that’s not how it feels. It felt like I had no choice, no options. I debated what to do and finally decided just to do the initial screening test. I have to say that I felt very pressured and uncomfortable with the whole thing.

And… I failed the screening test. Of course. This left me staring at the next step of the 3 hour test, which would be quite unpleasant. Try telling a pregnant lady she can’t eat anything when she gets up, has to make it to the lab, drink sugar, and sit for 3 hours – and get 4 blood draws. Women do this all the time and I am so sorry for that. That sounds like a lousy day. Couple that with how large amounts of sugar make me feel (exhausted, light headed, sometimes nauseated) and that just is not something I wanted to do. All so they could tell me I have GD based on completely abnormal behavior *for me*.

I should say that I don’t fear having to test blood sugar or monitoring it on my own at all. I certainly don’t fear the diet and lifestyle recommendations they’d give me (ironically to basically eat how I normally do and exercise). What I fear is a needless diagnosis on my medical history that would open me up for additional interventions and higher probability for things like being induced or even a C-section. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think any of those things are bad, they’re just overused and not optimal, if they can be safely avoided. I do not want to be classified high risk if my actual lifestyle, behavior, and health do not warrant it.

As a result, I started testing my blood sugar (BS) 4 times a day – fasting (goal of 95 or less) and 2 hours after meals (120 or less). I did that for a couple days between failing the screening test and seeing my doctor. (All but one of the values was in range – the outlier? The night I had gluten free pizza, a processed food that I eat occasionally – proving that I do not handle processed food well). I did this to show her not only that my numbers were fine based on what I actually eat, but also that I’m willing to be proactive about my health. Refusing the 3 hour test (which is what I went in to the appointment determined to do), was not about putting my head in the sand and pretending I don’t have a problem that might harm my baby. It was about individualizing my care and making sure I’m not treated for a disease I do not have.

It was an uncomfortable appointment and it was upsetting to me that the doctor was most concerned about checking things off her list – she just couldn’t fathom not doing B after A (if you fail the one hour, you do the three hour test). She barely looked at my BS numbers and food diary or even commented on the fact that they were almost all perfect, which would be impossible for anyone with gestational diabetes that wasn’t already being treated. I finally just had to say, “I’m not going to do it” – as an emphatic statement regarding the 3 hour test. Multiple times she threatened that I’d have to test my BS 4 times a day for the rest of my pregnancy, as if that was the worst thing in the world (people with GS do this, of course). Every time she said that, I just replied that would be fine with me. I love data and the info is very interesting to me, in any case.

In the end, she wrapped her head around the fact that I wasn’t going to budge and agreed to treat me like a gestational diabetic, in terms of monitoring BS, education, etc. but hold off on any official diagnosis until such time that I demonstrated that my numbers were not staying in range. This, was all I wanted. It was hard won, but totally worth it.

Coincidentally, my doctor is also expecting a baby so I will have to switch providers soon anyway. I will be asking about how the next one feels about this plan of action first thing!

The info I’m getting from testing has already been so enlightening. Knowing that pizza is not my friend (is anyone surprised?) is good to know since it is something I indulge in every so often. I’m going to test after making my own crust at home from this Paleo Spirit recipe which I love, to see if I tolerate that. If not, I will just avoid it, but it’s good to know either way. Another cool thing I’ve noticed is that putting maple syrup, honey, or dates in hot cocoa, tea, and protein shakes does not spike my BS at all. I don’t use a lot at any given time, but still, it’s good to know that I don’t have to go down to very low carb, something I was avoiding during pregnancy. Brown rice is fine, too. I will check on potatoes and sweet potatoes as they come up in my diet. I’ve had a few apples and a banana at one point, none of which pushed me over, either.

Overall, this has been a really interesting experience. It was frustrating to feel so misunderstood about something so important to my health and our little Cute Baby. I’m sure it won’t be the last time I’ll have to stand up for what should be common sense in this Bizarro world of ours. Personally, I hate confrontation and dealing with this was super tough on me. I definitely don’t do any of this lightly. For me, drinking something not-optimal once or twice isn’t the issue or a big deal. We are resilient beings, thank goodness. But, I don’t think it’s crazy to want to avoid all the potential downstream effects. So in the end, I’m glad I bothered to take a stand and I hope this might just make it a little bit easier on the next crazy lady who doesn’t want to drink the ~~Kool-Aid~~ Glucola.

Cute Baby Chronicles: Heading into the Third Trimester

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 22:11:00 +0000

Back in August, 40 weeks seemed like an eternity and waiting until we felt OK sharing the news was excruciating. But now it's suddenly February and I'm staring at the 28 week mark coming on on Tuesday. That will put us into the THIRD TRIMESTER, as in the final one. To think, we have 2/3 of this process under our belt already (no pun intended!)

I'm starting to feel like a "real" pregnant lady. The belly is now pretty obvious and I feel a ton of movement which never ceases to amaze me each and every time. There is actually a little mini human in there!

It's not all unicorns and rainbows, of course. My body is starting to feel the pressure of this additional responsibility. The last couple weeks have spawned the onset of sore feet and wrists, pelvic and lower back pain, and some sleep disturbances. But on the whole, I am feeling pretty great, grateful, and just over the moon to be blessed with this experience. I try my best to focus on all the positive and address any concerns proactively instead of just complaining. Cute Man is pretty empathetic and helpful when I do have to get a bit of that off my chest :)

To help me feel my best, I've started going for prenatal massage, which is heavenly and should be mandatory for all pregnant women. I'm also looking into going to a chiropractor to help with the pelvic pain, which is not fun at all. I'm doing a bit of yoga at work and a 4 week prenatal series with the teacher of the fertility workshop I did last summer. 4 of us are now preggo and it's so nice to be in a class with them again. My wrists can't seem to take any weight, so I'm modifying a lot, but it's still worth it and extremely relaxing. It just feels good to move!

I'm excited to be going to Ikea this weekend with Cute Man to scope out nursery furniture. We're not quite ready to buy anything yet, so it'll be more of an exploratory trip. Cute Man may have to strap my hands to my sides, though, to stop me from buying up all the adorableness. I'm pretty proud of my restraint so far. I have yet to buy much of anything baby related. I guess I'm afraid that it could break some sort of seal and open the floodgates of spending that I can't stop. So far, so good. Wish me luck!

Cute Baby Chronicles: Catching up

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 18:44:00 +0000

Written on December 18, 2014...

After the initial surge of excitement which I didn't feel OK to share right away (so frustrating!) I stopped writing altogether. I'm not sure why, but I guess I was just trying to stay in the moment and experience everything as opposed to focusing on chronicling it. This post is catching us up closer to the present....

As is my habit, I've been consuming tons of information about pregnancy, child birth, and babies. I'm a bit obsessive like that. It's mostly podcasts and blogs at this stage. I just don't have the patience for books. I've listened to almost all the Pregtastic, Preggie Pals, and Birth, Baby and Life podcasts so far. So much great info!

Now, just at 20 weeks I'm starting to feel like this is really happening. I'm finally starting to show a bit (that took forever!) Careful what you wish for, I'm sure... I no longer obsessively track my food intake, but I'm working to incorporate as much good whole healthy food and I can. I've hardly gained any weight so far (and nothing in the last month before my last appointment), but I'm trying not to see that as either a good or a bad thing. My doctor isn't concerned but warned me that it WAS coming and it would be OK :) My chiefest concern is just getting the nutrition both of us really need right now.

My zeal for prenatal yoga also waned as the first trimester queasiness and fatigue set in. I haven't been to a class in awhile, but have done some at home. Now that I'm starting to feel more like myself, I plan to start attending the classes again. I really did enjoy them!

Yesterday was my latest doctor's appointment and it is so fun to listen to that heartbeat! I also got my first unsolicited "Are you pregnant question" yesterday. It was tentative, but I certainly did appreciate it! Tomorrow Cute Man and I will go for our 20 week ultrasound - the anatomy scan. Can't wait to see the little guy!

And yes, it's going to be a BOY. We already know due to a genetic test we did early on so here's to announcing the impending arrival of Samuel H. Dodson V due on or about May 5, 2015. How crazy would it be if he actually came on that date? Baby Sammy Five born on 5/5/15. Wow :) But, he'll come when he's ready (no elective inductions for me!)

Cute Baby Chronicles: Containing the Excitement

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 18:26:00 +0000

This was written on August 29, 2014...

I just can't seem to contain this excitement. All I want to do is read pregnancy blogs and listen to podcasts. I've also started mining the internet for good movies. I'm all about my beloved Knocked Up and What to do When You're Expecting, but I need some variety. Suggestions welcome! I've even started looking at maternity clothes online... Soon will come the books, but I just don't have the attention span for those yet! Gotta check Audible...

Meanwhile, mum's the word of course. It feels so weird not to share something I'm THIS excited about, you know? I'm pretty sure I'll wind up spilling the beans to the fam when I visit both sides next weekend. But maybe not. I go back and forth on this. I'm definitely not mentioning it at work for obvious reasons.

As for what I usually talk about here... I'm still tracking my food in My Fitness Pal. Surprised? No, I have not developed Pregorexia (which is a very real and sad thing). However, I know that eating well is super important, now more than ever. Having a detailed record can only be helpful down the road. I changed my settings to "maintain your weight" and it seems like such a boon to eat that much! If I start to feel restricted, I will raise it or ignore the "limit". That is not what I'm doing here -- I'm not counting calories to try and avoid weight gain. I'm sure some WILL happen. But, it does serve me (and Cute Baby) well to keep things on an even keel and not go overboard with weight gain which would make things harder on me in the long run and add stress to my body, which is working hard enough as it is!

I now have my first appointment (with sonogram!) scheduled for a few weeks from now when I'll be around 8 weeks along. It feels so weird to not go in right away, like it isn't even real at this point because an expert hasn't declared me "pregnant". Well, I guess I'll just have to dig deep for some patience.... I took photos of the positive tests and my belly has felt strange all week, like very mild cramps. It might all just be in my head, but I'm rolling with it! If nothing else, my cycle is nowhere to be seen, which is of course, reassuring (and bizarre!)

And I'm very much looking forward to my second ever prenatal yoga class tomorrow :) I'm a happy mama-to-be!

Prenatal Yoga

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:47:00 +0000

Still waiting before posting this... Writing on August 28, 2014.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it has been a dream of mine to someday get to go to a prenatal yoga class. It seems so silly, but I was incredibly excited to have finally earned the right to go to one of these classes. The teacher and teaching assistant were both incredibly welcoming and introduced themselves to me right away, realizing I was new to the class despite the fact that the rather large studio room had over 30 women in it. They helped me set up this little incline made out of two yoga blocks and a couple of blankets plus a bolster under the knees. Although not yet necessary for me at this early stage, later on it's not recommended for pregnant women to lay flat on their backs. Regardless, it felt nice and supportive. I enjoyed it! I was just so overwhelmed with gratitude that I even felt some tears as the class got going and I was laying there, comfy and happy where I'd always wanted to be.

The class pace was perfect -- not too fast but definitely challenging. There were a few poses that we did 1 min on/1 min off to practice breathing through discomfort. Although wall-sits are difficult, they are a far cry from labor, I am sure. But the idea is there. You can survive being uncomfortable/in pain for short periods of time, especially if you know it will be intermittent.

The last part of class had us pairing up for some tandem stretching. It was nice to chat and get to know someone else in the class, which I'm sure was why they did that. The class ended with final relaxation in the supportive Sivasana pose in which we started and I again felt the tears come. I still cannot believe this is finally happening but at the same time, I have this incredible sense of peace, knowing it is the right time - the journey to this point has been completely worth it.

Healthy Baby On the Way!

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:23:00 +0000

I have just reached 20 weeks so I'm ready to start sharing my thoughts... I planned to wait until I hit the magical 12 week mark to start posting these updates. It was very hard to contain my excitement but I totally get why waiting until then is the convention. 12 weeks came and went and somehow, I still wasn't quite ready. But here, at the halfway point, it's time to let it fly!

This post was written on August 27, 2014 -- the day after I got my positive test. I just cannot wait to start cataloging this journey! So, for now, this is just for me with the idea of posting these updates starting in a couple months.

I am still very much in shock. It's been over 4 years of not preventing conception, with only one other pregnancy, which was an extremely early miscarriage that happened before I knew I had been pregnant. It was traumatic physically, but emotionally I just couldn't process that I had lost something I didn't even know I'd had. My doctor thought it was ectopic (a tubal pregnancy) because they didn't see anything on ultrasound, despite my insistence that I could only possibly be a day or two pregnant due to knowing my cycle. They did eventually see something in the uterus, but it was not viable by that point in any case.

That was two years ago and since then, nothing. I went through periods of actively charting my cycle and doing tons of research and planning. I also went through times when I couldn't think about it at all. I needed to enjoy my life the way it is, which is fantastic.

All the time, the clock was ticking... I was staring at my 37th birthday and just knew that it was now or never in terms of taking a proactive approach. I saw my doctor, got some preliminary tests (all seemed fine). Sam was checked. We started jumping through the hoops my insurance needed for our referral to the fertility center (dealing with two different sets of medical systems -- Kaiser and GW was quite the fun time!)

I signed up for a Yoga for Fertility Class. I joined Baby Launch Camp. I worked with a Health Coach. I downloaded Fertility Meditations. I recommitted to daily temperature and fertility sign charting. I was on this! But, somewhere in the back of my mind was Negative Nelly whispering how this just wasn't going to happen for us. I started looking into adoption and foster care (the latter something we want to do eventually, regardless of whether was have a biological child). Those are great options that I support but there was this niggling craving to have this all-too-human experience. I wanted to find out "for sure" (at least as much as the medical establishment can determine this) before exploring other options.

I'm not sure what "did it" this month. Not much has really changed -- I still eat a Paleo diet, which has been including Perfect Health Diet starches to varying degrees. I had been counting calories and slowly losing a bit of weight (nothing significant yet). The main difference is that I did put my intention on the process to a much greater degree.

I also read somewhere that stevia is used for contraception in some cultures (totally controversial and not an established fact) so I stopped using it. I had been using it quite a bit in smoothies and coffee/tea. I'm telling you, if that turns out to have been the issue I will scream! I was trying to avoid sugar at all costs only to be undermining my fertility? So wrong! But, who knows? These days, I'm working to eat things without a sweet taste and to use honey sparingly when I really want it. Sugar is sugar, but at least the body knows how to process glucose/fructose. I figure that small amounts won't cause too much trouble. The idea is to avoid the dreaded blood sugar spikes.

That brings me to several days ago when I realized that my temperatures weren't starting to drop in advance of my expected period. That was a good sign! Then, a few more days went by... And yesterday, I decided what the heck? Just take a test. And it was positive! I could not believe it. So, I took another one. Also positive! Seriously? Was this really happening? I stared at the sticks for a minute or so, then ran down two flights to find Cute Man. He was surprised but very happy!

I contacted my doctor right away to ask to take a blood test to confirm. She said that it wasn't needed and that the home tests are accurate. I should just make an appointment in a few weeks for my first sonogram. Really? It didn't seem like it could be official without a doctor pronouncing me pregnant. Even so, I know in my heart it's true -- it's happening. I have such a wave of joy that has just permeated everything for the last two days. And tonight, I'm going to my very first prenatal yoga class! Is it weird that I've dreamed of going to prenatal yoga? It's like a club that I just couldn't get into. Now, I have my free pass and I'm not wasting any time taking advantage of it!

Health Coach - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 19 Aug 2014 20:53:00 +0000

I like this picture because it's from a time when movement was nothing but fun. I adored gymnastics as a kid and that joy has translated into my love of yoga as an adult. Where else do you get to stand on your head as a grownup? It's also nice to see evidence of a time before my hormones went haywire and I was just a normal, cute little kid.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been working with a health coach to try and get things back on track. Sometimes you just need a little outside perspective! It's been a very positive experience and I would recommend that anyone who feels stuck to try working with someone.

Some things I've been working on:

Tracking all my food on My Fitness Pal

This is something I've actively resisted for a long time. Finding Paleo seemed to free me from the need for this but over time, the weight has started to creep back on. Seeing my food choices documented in black and white helps keep me honest and also allows for some wiggle room for a few indulgences within reason.
I've finally made my peace with this. I've found that tracking things really does keep me accountable. I also must do this 100% for every penny I spend so it shouldn't surprise me that it's important for my food intake as well. I feel great about it these days, which has surprised me. I've let go of the resistance and I'm just letting it be a tool that is helping me.

Meaningful Activity

I've been focusing on walking and yoga, mostly. I'm thinking about doing a membership at a local yoga studio -- it's the only "exercise" I really look forward to so why not go all in with it?
I also think sprinting (interval training) is super important. I've only actually done it a couple times since instituting it as a goal but the plan is to an interval workout once a week: 30 seconds hard; 2 min recovery. Repeat for 15 minutes. Doesn't sound like much, but it really gets the heart rate up and has great hormonal effects. I use the elliptical at my work gym and do some stretching afterwards.

My initial bundle of consultations is now up with my coach and I'm deliberating about whether to continue. I was indeed super helpful, but it is another budget item. It's coming down to either the coaching or the yoga membership at this point and I'm leaning towards the latter. I can always seek out help again if I feel like I'm slipping.

Health Coach - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 15:53:00 +0000

It's been a month and a half since the retreat and I've spent that time trying to sort out my goals. As with most things in life, having that experience was transformative and enlightening, but not at all in the way I thought it would be. Going in to it, I was feeling extremely good. I had hit a good rhythm with activity level and what I was eating. I thought the retreat would just cement those positive changes and spur me on to even greater things.

Since I had the great honor and privilege to attend the retreat as a work-study person, I had a somewhat different experience from the other guests. I am eternally grateful to the organizers for giving me this chance. Huge thanks to Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet, Whitney Ross Gray, Kamal Patel, Laura Schoenfeld and her mother, Pam Schoenfeld. I had a singular opportunity to learn from the best, and value all I absorbed from the daily lectures, cooking demos, and informal discussions.

The break in routine really through me, though. Also, with hindsight being so clear, I have noticed a few other things that conspired to knock me off course:

Slightly less sleep than normal
Higher carb consumption than what I was doing with my version of PHD prior to the retreat
Less downtime than I'm used to
More social interaction (I'm an introvert, so I need quite a bit of alone time each day to recharge even though I love people)
Intermittent fasting (we ate only from 12:00pm-8:00pm each day and I was up at 6:00am; I've determined that I really do need a whack of protein in the morning to feel my best)
Vitex (I was taking this supplement for several months to try and regulate my hormones -- I finally realized it was having the opposite effect from what I was intending and it made me very moody, emotional, and increased my PMS and menstrual symptoms, things it was supposed to help relieve. I finally found some info that noted that some people can react this way so I'm pretty sure this was the biggest culprit).

All of this is to say -- I came home not feeling that well at all so this post is mostly about how I'm working to get myself back on track. I've had to move past a lot of self-blame for not being more resilient, flexible, and adaptable -- all qualities I've always thought of myself as possessing. I've finally come to the conclusion that I truly was not myself at the retreat. It was not a failure of me as a person, rather a failure to recognize or address the issues I outlined above.

Since I initially blamed my mood/exhaustion issues all on the carbs, I resolved to go low carb again shortly after I returned since I always felt so good when eating that way. This time, it didn't seem to "work". It took me some time but I finally realized it was the Vitex and stopped that just last week. I already feel better. Go figure!

To help bring clarity to my situation and get an outside perspective, I've decided to work with a health coach. I have a new game plan that I'm working on with her help. I will lay it out in Part 2, since this is getting so long!

Perfect Health Diet Retreat, New Fitbit, Whole Food Juicing and T-Tapp

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 06 May 2014 19:59:00 +0000

In just few days, I'll be heading out to NC for the Perfect Health Diet (PHD) Retreat. I am super excited to be going on this two week adventure and very proud of myself for contacting the organizers and arranging to come on a work/study basis. This program is amazing and well worth it, but simply not in the budget this year. I'm glad to be going as the onsite helper, where I'll be able to reap the rewards of the program and assist the other participants as well. I will be sharing much of what I learn/experience here periodically while at the retreat.

In other, related news, I decided to take the plunge and buy myself a Fitbit Flex. I've coveted these for some time, but again, budget concerns kept me from making the purchase. Oddly enough, it was the upcoming retreat that spurred me into action. One of my duties will be to make the morning coffee, etc. so I'll need to be one of the first people up. Part of the PHD is working on your circadian rhythms and good sleep is extremely important in that regard. The last thing I wanted to do was to wake up my roommates (I'll be in a shared room with other women) with my blaring iPhone. Yikes! So what does this have to do with the Fitbit? Well, the Flex version has a silent alarm feature that vibrates to wake you up gently. I've tired it out and it works! I've also been loving the step tracking, which is fun to watch in real time on my phone. I am such a little kid. Easy to please :)

My more recent food related passion is juicing. Yes, really. I was always so against it, due to the blood sugar spiking and fiber wasting. Well, I found a way that does neither. Enter Whole Food Juicing. Using my trusty Vitamix, I'm able to blend my veggies and fruit so well that it drinks like a juice but still keeps all the fiber. There are tons of great recipes at the Blender Babes. My current favorite is a version of this Giada De Laurentiis one (I use cucumber instead of the carrot and granny smith apples to keep it bright green). I've really been enjoying these and feel great getting in so many more raw veggies.

Last but not least, I am still loving my T-Tapp DVDs. Doing the basic, 20 minute workout 2-3 times per week has me feeling way more toned and great in my own skin. I can't even explain how awesome it is. The effort to results ratio is astounding. I've never done such an effective workout, especially one that doesn't leave me in a puddle on the floor by the end. I highly recommend you check this out!*

*Please note that many of the above links are affiliate links to Amazon. If you click on one of them, and then go on to buy something, I get a small percentage, which is awesome. However, I get nothing for recommending T-Tapp. I just think it's wonderful :) And I only link to anything that I truly use and love whether it's on Amazon or not.

In the Swing of things: Perfect Health Diet and an Activity Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 21:41:00 +0000

Gnomes make me happy

Since going all in with the Perfect Health Diet, I've set up a few guidelines that are keeping me feeling good:

Refined Sugar is out (except small amounts of dark chocolate).
Fruit is OK and I'm not limiting it at all (I wind up having 2-4 pieces a day). Knowing that this is always a sweet option makes me feel less panicy and restricted.
Starch comes mostly from things that contain resistant starch -- cooked cooled potatoes/rice, green bananas but also from sweet potatoes. I am limiting processed starches like rice noodles, etc. to roughly 1 x per week.
Non-starchy veggies fill half my plate at every meal with the other half split between meat and starch. I have to purposely focus on this and it has led me to eating much less meat overall since my appetite has gone down.
Mindful activity is a part of each day. I printed out a full year calendar and hung it on the fridge. Every day that I do at least 20 minutes of purposeful activity, I put and X over the date. I'm over 3 weeks in and haven't broken the chain. Yay! Sometimes I do more (like an hour yoga class), but keeping the goal manageable has been key to attaining consistency, which is what I was after.
Almond milk is a daily addition to my morning smoothie, in which I get to dump all my food-based supplements like collagen, probiotics, prebiotics, green bananas for RS, fiber, and even liver powder sometimes! Since the store-bought variety comes with additives and stabilizers, I decided to try my hand at making my own. I used this method (I just use the almonds, water, and vanilla) and bought this nut milk bag to strain it. Making homemade almond milk is way easier than I imagined and turns out delicious. It smells amazing whirring in my Vitamix - fresh almonds and vanilla - yum!
Almond meal is a lucky side benefit of making homemade almond milk. Who knew? When you strain the milk, you're left with very finely ground almond meal, which you can use to bake cookies. The milk recipe I linked to suggests drying it out in the oven, sending it through the blender again, etc. I am way too lazy. I just save it in the fridge and then make some cookies when I get enough of it. Since it's still damp, not at all like my beloved blanched almond flour, it's a whole different animal. I found I had to turn the oven temp down and bake them longer than usual, but they come out moist, chewy, and more like oatmeal cookies. I love the idea of using one raw ingredient to get so many yummy things! Talk about being thrifty. My Grampy would be proud.

I am off to go try my hand at baking my low sugar (fruit sweetened) chocolate chip cookies. I'm going to refine the recipe a bit then come back and post an official version with pictures. Stay tuned!

Mint Chip Super Food Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:38:00 +0000

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to churn up some creamy green goodness. I'm trying to avoid refined sugar so I used a combo of medjool dates and stevia to sweeten it. I added some avocado and spinach for the green as well as collagen, probiotics, and some green banana for the resistant starch. That's a lot of nutrition packed into a tasty frozen treat!

Mint Chip Super Food Ice Cream

1 14.5 oz can full fat coconut milk

2 Medjool dates (take out the pit first!)

1 very small avocado (half of a medium or large one)
1/4 cup frozen spinach*
1/2 frozen green banana*
1/2 contents of one probiotic capsule
1 Tbs collagen
1 tsp powdered stevia
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp real salt
1/2 cup enjoy life chips

Blend all ingredients (except chocolate chips) -- I used my Vitamix. I blended it for quite some time because I wanted to make sure that everything was completely incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before churning it in an ice cream maker until it reaches the consistency of soft serve. Empty into a quart sized Tupperware container and mix in chocolate chips. Dish out a nice scoop into a chilled bowl and enjoy! Stick the rest in the freezer and get your super foods in each day for the rest of the week.

I prefer to make my ice cream really rich and creamy as opposed to lighter and less filling. I tend to only eat a tiny bowl of it at a time and really savor it. I find it's much more satisfying than something that I can eat and eat without getting full.

*You can use fresh/not frozen spinach and banana - just chill the mixture longer before churning.

New Discoveries and a Shift in Focus

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 20:31:00 +0000

For the past three years, I’ve been focusing pretty fiercely on my attempt to lose weight. I’ve tried to keep a good, body positive perspective but have never lost sight of that end goal. Since my experience with Intuitive Eating prior to discovering Paleo, I’ve been pretty fearful of letting go and losing control. I did not trust myself to make good decisions for my health so I settled on the prize of weight loss to keep me on the straight and narrow. I also harbored a secret fear that no one would ever take me seriously in the Paleo community if I was still fat.

I don’t know if there is something physically, psychologically, or otherwise holding me back from achieving my desired body composition, but any which way, I’m over it. I am over actively trying to change my body. Here’s a little recap of what I’ve been working on lately to take the very best care of myself without the express goal of weight loss:

Dressing Your Truth

I’m in love with this program. I look and feel better than ever and haven’t lost a pound (not that I’ve weighed myself!) I cannot recommend it highly enough for promoting great self-care and expression true to yourself. Life changing.

T-Tapp

I’d heard of this before but never thought it would be for me. It was mentioned in one of the DYT videos and I decided to give it a whirl. I feel more toned, energetic, and have gotten lots of compliments from Cute Man since doing this 2-5 times per week. The basic workout takes less than 20 min. Score.

Perfect Health Diet

Yes, that again. I’m just eating real, normal food while avoiding nasty oils, processed food, added sugar, and wheat products. The biggest difference is that I’m not doing it to try to diet or lose weight. My only goal is to promote overall health and avoid the acid reflux, psoriasis, headaches and other health problems I dealt with pre-Paleo. I’ve also started incorporating resistant starch, which blunts blood sugar spikes and promotes gut health. It just means that I cook my potatoes and rice a day in advance to allow them to cool down after cooking in order to allow the RS to be formed. My appetite is WAY down and my sugar cravings have diminished a lot. I feel almost incapable of overeating. When I’ve had enough, I have to stop right in my tracks with a feeling of not being able to take even one more bite. I can’t eat even half what I used to for dinner. Very interesting. I am not eating any rice noodles or other gluten free processed foods – those seemed to set me off and gave me acid reflux. I started with the RS after listening to this Latest inPaleo Podcast. More info on Free the Animal (warning – he is very unpolitically correct, so if you’re easily offended, please avoid).

Gluten Free Baking

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 19:48:00 +0000

Gingerbread Cookies

Maybe it’s just the time of the year (the Holidays!) but I’ve gotten into several discussions about baking lately. It’s no secret that I’m gluten free and people are often shocked that what I offer doesn’t wind up tasting like a door-stop. Part of what works for me is using good ingredients and making things fresh. I also do a crazy amount of research and am always trying out new things. In an effort to share what I’ve learned, particularly what works and what doesn’t as well as where to get specialty ingredients, I’m putting together this post for reference.

One of the biggest obstacles people face when going gluten-free is getting used to new ingredients and their often higher prices. They are also sometimes harder to find. However, once you get the hang of it, baking is just as easy (or difficult) as it always has been.

Mint Milanos

A note about the expense: going gluten free is like any other kind of dietary change. It’s very easy to get caught up in the one-to-one replacements and wind up with an even less nutrient dense (and more expensive) diet. It’s important to note that most wheat products like bread, pasta, etc. are all fortified with vitamins and minerals – this minimum dosage is just enough to keep us from severe diseases of deficiency, but are in no way the optimal way to get these nutrients. That being said, switching from wheat-based processed food to gluten free processed food, which is not usually fortified, can lead to disaster. If, instead, you choose to switch the base of your diet away from grains in general in favor of fruits, vegetables, and high quality proteins and fats, you’ll be significantly improving your overall nutrient intake. This way of eating is also much cheaper than buying all the gluten free packaged food available these days.

Snickerdoodles

All of this is to say that baking is not the answer to changing your diet and not noticing a difference. There should be a difference. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to age old traditions like baking cookies on Christmas. There is just something lovely about making and sharing yummy treats with friends and family.

Since this particular brand of oven-baked joy is my cup of tea, I’d like to share my go-to ingredients and favorite recipes (found for free online!) I buy quite a bit online, mostly on Amazon, but some things can be bought in stores. I will include affiliate links where applicable, but also mention when you can probably get items locally.

Ingredients

Almond Flour
This is my preferred brand for a fine, light texture perfect for cookies and cakes.
Almond Meal
I buy this at my local Trader Joes and it includes the almond skins and is very course – cookies baked with this come out more like oatmeal cookies than regular chocolate chip. It’s also good for making buns or “bread” for a more whole grain texture.
Coconut Flour
This can also be found at my local Wegmans, Whole Foods, etc. I’m not as picky about brand with this stuff. I haven’t tried one that didn’t work as of yet.
Grade B Maple Syrup
This has to be my secret weapon ingredient. Using this recreates the right flavor profile for chocolate chip cookies, which traditionally would use white and brown sugar. I buy it at Trader Joes and find the Grade B is way better than the thinner, less rich Grade A.
Coconut Oil
This can also be bought in most stores and is great for replacing butter, if you are very dairy intolerant. It works surprisingly well.
Palm Shortening aka Vegan Shortening
Somehow this isn’t a trans-fat nightmare and is considered a safe alternative. I don’t use it much, but have on occasion when you need a completely neutral flavor. You can also use this as a sub for things like butter or lard.
Swerve Confectioner’s
This is a low carb product that I use in icings and as the sweetener in homemade ice cream (it keeps it from getting rock hard). I use this powdered version in all applications, sometimes cutting the suggested amount (the granular version doesn’t taste as sweet to me and I get more bang for the buck with this).
Stevia
This brand is great in my coffee and I can sometimes get away with using a little bit in place of caloric sweeteners but doesn’t generally work that well in baked goods all by itself. You only need the tiniest bit of this – I use the undiluted version so it doesn’t measure like sugar at all. I prefer not to pay for the bulking agents.

Recipes

Choc Chip Macaroons

I am an avid collector of online recipes and you can follow me on Pinterest, if you want to keep up to date with stuff I’m trying. However, I think it’s important to start with the tried and true, especially when you are just starting to buy new ingredients. There is nothing worse than throwing out a whole batch of something that just didn’t work. It’s also important to follow the instructions carefully – the ingredients and method are what the recipe writer used and found to work. Changing it up is fun, but can result in flops. I recommend finding something that appeals to you, you have or can get ALL the required ingredients, and then follow it exactly the first time. Not every suggestion is going to meet that set of criteria, so I say skip the ones that aren’t a perfect match for your needs and abilities and just try something you can do as described. I cannot stress this enough – you cannot determine if a recipe works unless you actually follow it! That being said, I DO sometimes tweak things (I’ve been at this for some time) and I will note things that I’ve tried successfully along with the links, in case those alterations appeal to you, too. I mostly just want you to have a good experience out of the gate!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I should also mention that gluten free baking IS different from its wheat-laden, more ubiquitous pastry-cousins. You cannot simply swap out the regular flour in a beloved recipe with a gluten free alternative and get the same result. When starting out, choose a recipe already developed and tested by someone else before trying to adapt old favorites. There is a learning curve and it takes a bit of experience to get a feel for how different flours behave.

All the recipes are Paleo-friendly, but not necessarily Low Carb (LC). I’ve noted the ones that use non-caloric sweeteners as LC, in case you want to especially use those to avoid as many carbs as possible or avoid them due to the questionable ingredients. For me, I’ve determined that Swerve and Stevia are within my comfort zone of safety, but I do not use or advocate the use of aspartame, Splenda, or other more widely available artificial sweeteners. I also avoid Truvia, which is neither True, nor Stevia. And, it tastes bad. BAD.

On to the links!!!!

The Wonder Bun

My version of the Wonder Bun
I don't eat a lot of bread-like things anymore. They simply aren't worth the time or energy, most of the time. But when I just need something, this does the trick! I use these mostly for open faced melted cheese to go with Tomato Soup and as croutons in French Onion Soup. I don't usually bother for burgers anymore, but it works well for those, too.
The Food Lovers
Chocolate Chip Cookies
I often use melted butter in place of the coconut oil (both work well!) and sometimes swap white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts for the chocolate chips. If you use chocolate chips, any brand will work. They just list the allergy-friendly type for sensitive folks. The Enjoy Life ones are awesome, just a bit pricier, if that’s not a concern for you.
Pumpkin Cookies
These are a huge hit every fall and have the added benefit of being vegan - everybody can enjoy them!
Gingerbread Men or their Updated Version
I’ve made the original version as instructed with cookie cutters, but also made them without rolling them out, using my cookie-disher, and smooshing them down before baking. I make royal icing either with organic powdered sugar or powdered Swerve. I either pipe it on all fancy-like when using the cookie cutters or just slather it on when doing the regular cookies. Both ways taste incredible. I haven't tried their updated version, but I'm sure that's wonderful, too. Maybe better since they revised it? Hard to imagine since I LOVE the original.

Sticky Bun Cake

Comfy Belly
Cinnamon Bun Muffins (almond flour)
Cinnamon Bun Muffins (coconut flour)
Sticky Bun Cake (my adapted version of the above) (LC)
I make some version of the above three recipes quite often. So easy and delicious!
The Paleo Parents
Chocolate Chip Macaroons
The salty-sweet combo of these is off the charts good. If you use dairy free chocolate chips, these are completely vegan (and autoimmune Paleo compatible without the chips).
The Urban Poser
Snickerdoodles
These are incredible. That is all.
All Day I Dream About Food

Cinnamon Rolls

Nutella Loaf (LC)
This has to be hands-down the best completely low carb cake I've ever made. It tastes a lot how I remember those marble poundcakes at Starbucks.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins (LC)
Also Starbucks-inspired. Hmm...
Maria Emmerich
Cinnamon Rolls (LC)
This recipe uses a somewhat controversial ingredient called Psyllium Husk Powder. Please read this post about its safety – this is why I use it. It makes gluten free baked goods have the right doughy texture for things like this recipe. Just don’t buy a huge thing of it, like I did! You need very little per recipe. I also generally just use royal icing made with Swerve on these, too (like the gingerbread cookies). This Brown Butter Icing recipe is also amazing, though.
My Mint Milano Creations
This recreation went amazingly well and hit on some deep childhood memories. The originals were always my favorite cookies and I could easily eat a whole box of them all at once. Making them from scratch with better ingredients staves off the urge to binge on them.

There are so many great recipes out there but these are my favorites that I go back to over and over. I hope this helps you get started and have some success right away. I would also recommend browsing the websites I linked to above for more recipes – they are generally trusted sites with great content. For more recipe ideas, follow me on Pinterest!

Paleo Sweets and Treats Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 18:24:00 +0000

Today, I'm over at the Paleo Parents' site, reviewing a new cookbook all about treats: Paleo Sweets and Treats. I had fun with this one, folks :)

I was a bit hesitant to pick this book up due to my uncertain relationship with treats these days. I’ve been struggling to define their place in my diet. Should I get rid of anything resembling the old standbys that got me to such an unhealthy place? Only indulge on special occasions outside the house? Or would it be better to incorporate some special foods that I make myself and have control over? It is a quandary many Paleo enthusiasts address at some point. For the sake of this review, I dove in with option #3: use this very credible source to guide me in my attempts to figure out what works best for me... (Continue reading at The Paleo Parents).

Sticky Bun Cake

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 22:03:00 +0000

I have been in love with these Cinnamon Bun Muffins since the day I discovered them a couple years ago. I have made them countless times to rave reviews. Over time, I've tweaked the recipe several different ways but often following mostly as-is, using maple syrup and no nuts to make a straight-up cinnamon bun taste sensation. Lately, since I'm doing my Keto experiment, I have been playing around with using only just enough caloric sweetener to get the flavor profile, while filling out the sweetness with either Swerve or Stevia. Cute man hates this but tolerates it in some recipes but not others. When making this one, he did not notice so score one for the home team! All in all, the fewer baked things I eat, the better for my fat loss goals, but I enjoy being able to live a little without completely blowing it.

As for the caloric sweeteners, after reading about the GAPS Diet, I'm doing my best to avoid maple syrup in favor of honey. It has to do with the former being a disaccharide made out of two bonded sugar molecules, which are harder to digest, thus making it further down the digestive process to then be food for the "bad" bacteria in our guts (aka nasty beasties). Honey is considered a monosaccharide, which digests more quickly and is bio-available to us as opposed to the nasty beasties. This doesn't make 100% sense to me, because doesn't honey have both fructose and glucose aka two different sugars? Maybe they're not bonded or something; I don't really know and can't seem to find a satisfactory explanation anywhere. So, if you understand, please explain it to me. I am missing my maple syrup like crazy!

Moving on... I knew honey tasted differently, but I'm finding that it's usually not the flavor profile I'm looking for. As a result, I started looking for things in which I would purposely use honey... When I looked at this recipe again, I realized I could use the honey option and add pecans for more of a sticky bun as opposed to cinnamon bun flavor. I also adjusted it to be a cake, not muffins and changed the liquid measurements to compensate for not using the full amount of honey. I normally don't reprint others' recipes unless there is a significant change. I think I've met that threshold here, but please visit the original recipe for more inspiration and to support the author's work. I've also reviewed her cookbook on the Paleo Parents' site.

Here is how it shaped up for me:

Sticky Bun Cake

Makes 8 servings

For the Cake

1/2 cup of coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

1/4 cup of Swerve (can use 1 teaspoon of Stevia)

4 eggs

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

For the Sticky Topping

2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter (can use ghee or coconut oil)

4 tablespoons of honey

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the cake's dry ingredients together.
Add the egg and coconut milk, mixing to combine.
Pour into a greased baking pan (like from this set or an 8 inch round)
For the topping, melt butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave or on the stove.
Add remaining ingredients and stir.
Pour over the cake batter and swirl the surface with a knife.
Pop the cake into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out cleanly when you poke it.
Let cool a bit (if you can) and enjoy :)
To store, you can leave it out, covered, at room temperature for a few days or put it in the fridge to extend it to a week (I hear, but never experienced it lasting that long!

Healthy Amelia

Loving Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:28:00 +0000

I know I've mentioned this a bunch of times already, but I am really having fun with my Spiral Slicer. As a result, I've been noodling up a bunch of zucchini each week and then mixing and matching them with Italian, Asian, and other miscellaneous types of sauces with various veggies and proteins. I have yet to get bored!

Between all the noodling and my other cooking exploits, my fridge has been quite stocked lately. I've taken to using these BPA-free, freezer-safe containers in addition to my regular Rubbermaid Set (although, if I were to buy these again now, I'd go with the glass version). I keep a little Sharpie and these awesome Post-it Label Pads in a drawer in the kitchen so I can easily mark the food and date on each container. This cuts way down on the mystery food phenomenon in which the food just sits there and I'm never sure if it's still good. There's something about these bright cheery labels identifying the contents that makes me actually eat pretty much everything before it goes bad. It takes just an extra few seconds to mark the container and it's working like a charm.

At the risk of looking like a crazy person, here is a shot of my fridge from a little while ago. It's almost empty now, due to having gobbled these contents!

Thanksgiving Planning (Keto and Paleo Friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 19:35:00 +0000

Holiday planning when eating differently from most folks can be a challenge. However, I choose not to think that way. I, quite humbly, believe myself to be an excellent cook and only make and share items that I know almost anybody would like, regardless of dietary preferences. In other words, I refuse to serve stuff that I think of as "good for gluten free".

I'm also over the idea of "treating" myself with foods that make me feel like crap. For better or for worse, I've become adept enough to make extremely tasty things that don't hurt me. That's what I consider a treat. If, like me, you are shooting for a Keto lifestyle, be careful with the cookie recipes. They DO contain maple syrup so they need to be limited. Just a little PSA. Also, if you can handle a few off-plan adventures of the more standard variety, more power to you. My way isn't the right way, just the right way for me.

Many foods are naturally gluten free so making them tasty isn't especially challenging (think, the turkey or sweet potatoes or green beans -- see, it's not that hard!) I've also amassed a recipe arsenal of delicious gluten free baked goodies that seam to please everybody. I dare you to find someone who doesn't swoon for the Food Lovers' Chocolate Chip Cookies. Definitely not "good for gluten free". They always disappear fast at parties (and not just the Paleo Potlucks)!

This year, we are teaming up with our delightful neighbors for a combined Thanksgiving with a smattering of friends and family. We wound up enjoying a double feast last year by having a second meal on Black Friday with them. This year, we're just combining on the actual day for full effect. As a result, we haven't worked out the details yet. I have no idea what others plan to bring yet. Last year, the neighbors made a Turducken. Perhaps that'll happen again? If not, I can roast a Turkey like nobody's business so I didn't even bother with a recipe below. Those recipes can be found anywhere. Alton Brown's Brined Turkey is awesome sauce.

In the meantime, me being me, I've been trolling the internet for new and fun recipes plus reinvented old standbys to have at the ready, should they fit into the larger scheme of things. I've also found a few things that maybe wouldn't be necessarily right for the main meal, but will be awesome to complement the leftovers. Here's what I've got!

First up is Stephanie O-Dea's Green Bean Casserole and Savory Sweet Potato Bake -- I would use my dual crockpots for this. Perfect if we wind up going over to the neighbor's for the actual meal.

What's Thanksgiving without Stuffing? I have not actually tried this one out yet, but it look's incredible: Paleo Parents's Pork Stuffing Casserole from Beyond Bacon. I am loving that you don't have to first bake a loaf of bread. This is ingenious, time saving, and tasty-looking to the extreme! Triple Treat! This is happening no matter what. If others want to bring regular stuffing, that's cool. But I NEED this.

And what's stuffing without cranberry sauce? I did this sugar-free one last year and no one was the wiser! Totally going there again: Healthy Living How To's Cranberry Sauce.

The magic sauce that brings it all together has to be the gravy. I'm going to use Mama and Baby Love's Gravy (one of several holiday recipes listed in that post). I'm thinking of getting this mini slow cooker to keep it warm (it would also be fab to have for fondue. Just saying...)

Last but not least, The Food Lovers' Pumpkin Cookies are always a fall hit. And they're easy.

I'm thinking that the Stuffing Meatballs from Practical Paleo and My Heart Beets' Thanksgiving Bread would be fun to go with leftovers. Those two things layered with a bit of turkey with cranberry sauce on the side? Yes, please. This may actually happen in advance of Thanksgiving. What can I say, I'm excited!

Gingerbread Pear Cake from Paleo Sweets and Treats

If you're in the US, what do you have planned for the big Turkey Day? And if not, what are some of your favorite holiday recipes?

Feeling Hopeful (Keto Update)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 20:15:00 +0000

I go back and forth on this whole fat loss thing. On the one hand, I want to feel good in my skin as I am and on the other, I want to care about myself enough to put in the effort needed to be my Best Self. I don't equate thinner with better, but being 50 lbs over my happy-weight is not optimal by any stretch.

In my mind's eye, I don't picture myself thin when I think about that Best Self. I see myself moving effortlessly and gracefully without being encumbered by excess that I don't need. I look strong and capable, toned and solid.

I know that numbers on a scale aren't a particularly great way to judge progress but I've been at this long enough to have a rough idea of how they match up to how *I* feel at a given weight, if that makes sense. If I had to put a number on my goal, it would be about 180 lbs., a size 12 for me. It also happens to be the weight I achieved when Cute Man and I got together ten whole years ago (eep!) I don't think that's a coincidence, since I felt my absolute best at that time. Sure, I didn't get there in the most healthy way (marathon training + Jenny Craig = unsustainable weight loss) but I know that it's a place where I feel good. I am hoping that if I put the work in to get there in a healthy way, it's a place that I could not just get to for what felt like a moment, but stay in the ballpark for life.

This is all to say: I'm not asking for the moon, people.

And today, I feel hopeful, like this isn't all just a pipe dream and I can actually DO this. I felt inspired to get on the scale and I'm down another 2.5 lbs. in the last couple weeks. The grand total, according to MyFitnesspal.com is 7 lbs. lost in 9 weeks (I was off in my estimation of how long I've officially been at this in an earlier post).

I ~~never~~ hardly ever feel resentful or annoyed with the WAY I eat (low carb Paleo, avoiding grains, etc) but I do oftentimes chafe at the whole counting business. It's a kind of annoying neurotic thing to do! But, it's helping me. It's making me more aware of my choices and is helping me hit a very mild calorie restriction target that allows me to eat plenty and lose weight at at slow, yet consistent pace. I'm pretty confident that I am able to maintain my weight without counting (as long as I don't again fall prey to too many treats, etc.) but to lose, I need to be accountable. And that's OK.

In terms of the specifics, I've changed my calorie target to shoot for a 15% calorie deficit each day and I'm not counting any activity calories. For me, that turns out to be about 1800 a day, which is very comfortable (I had been trying for 1600 then adding in any activity calories but that was stressing me out a bit). I'm still staying under 50 total carbs a day (about 25-40 net). It's feeling good and no lie, seeing a lower number on the scale DID make my day. Old patterns are hard to break.

But for now, I'll take it. I'm making progress and feeling at peace with the method and work involved. In the grand cost/benefit analysis of life, it's a pretty good deal all around.

Healthy Identity (Keto Update)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 21:18:00 +0000

My (awesome) workplace is hosting an active week right now and today we had a discussion about overcoming barriers to making a healthier lifestyle a reality. While participating, I got to thinking (and sharing) about my general attitude towards health and wellness.

One of the biggest things that came to mind was how I choose to think about healthy behaviors. It's not something I "have" to do, not even a choice, really. Over the past few years, I've solidified my feelings about food and movement into a very important part of my identity. Just look at how I chose to name my blog: Healthy Amelia. It's how I am -- not even who I would like to be or plan to be. It's who I am. I am Healthy Amelia. It doesn't mean that I'm perfect or even that I'm where I'd like to be, but it's still who I am.

I have managed to embrace the process instead of focusing on the outcome. The latter brings nothing but frustration, in my experience. I regress from time to time, lamenting that I'm not "there" yet. "There" is always a moving target, though, so putting my attention on that is futile. Coming back to a love of the process and joy in taking the very best care of myself, regardless of outcome, makes this whole endeavor not only easier, but more worthwhile and enjoyable.

I'm not exactly sure when this shift happened but I'm grateful it did.

Noodle Obsession (Keto Update)

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 20:57:00 +0000

I am officially obsessed with making noodles with my spiral slicer and the website dedicated to all things spiralized: Inspiralized.com. This egg drop soup variation is my latest recreation and it is so delicious. Making it with homemade beef broth really made it sing. I've also been having fun just putting tomato sauce on zucchini noodles with the odd meatball and/or Parmesan cheese. I've also whipped up some macadamia nut pesto, which is amazing on zucchini noodles.

I've tried my hand at veggie based noodles before with a Julienne Peeler but my new gadget is definitely superior in every way. It's faster, easier, and the noodles are much more appealing. It's hard to describe, but the effect is a more round, spaghetti-like noodle that tastes a lot better and produces a great texture. I also like that it wastes far less of the vegetable, particularly when using zucchini.

I've also had luck with yellow squash (almost the same as zucchini) and carrots. The carrots require a little more pressure but they come out wonderfully. I've put the carrot noodles in a pan with butter and sage for some amazing noodles and even put them in with eggs for an easy omelet. I put off getting a spiral slicer for a long time, thinking it's a useless gadget, but now I am so happy I changed my mind!

So far, I've only been using the spaghetti-like blade. I will see if the others are just as good. The best news is incorporating all of these vegetable-based noodles into my diet has really helped up my daily veggie quotient. The result: lower carb and calorie counts on my daily totals on My Fitness Pal! Win/win, if you ask me.

How do YOU like your veggie noodles?

Tricky Thoughts about Treats

noreply@blogger.com (HEALTHY AMELIA) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 00:27:00 +0000

I am sitting near my front door in between trick or treaters. I am not eating even one piece of Halloween candy. I'm not smug about it. Rather, I'm wary. It's often when I make it through a time of great temptation that I wind up with a backlash shortly thereafter. It's almost like rewarding myself for being "good". But I know there's not really any good or bad. It just is. I remind myself... Halloween candy is not special. It's just abundant. This stuff exists at anytime so I don't have to fear that I'm missing something.

Still, a little bowl with a tablespoon each of nut butter and dark chocolate chips comforts me as I sit next to a huge bowl of tiny individually wrapped confections. Now, some Gingerbread Tea. I can do this.