21 Day Fix, Hooping, and Living with Diabetes

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  *pinches all you not wearing green*  After seeing great results using the 21 day fix program I have decided to go another round.  I have a lot on my plate right now and love how I could easily squeeze in my daily workout quickly using the 21 day fix.  It comes with a very easy to follow eating plan that teaches you portion control and balance.  I no longer follow the plan exactly but I do use the portion containers for things like cheese, dressings, or if I premake a meal.  They are microwave safe so I can just throw it together easily.

<~Autumn Calabrese will be your frenemy!  Yes she is going to encourage you, yes if you listen you will see great results, but yes you will be swearing at her at some point.  She is all "You can do anything for 60 seconds" and crazy enough YOU CAN!  You might have to dip deep and push yourself passed what you believe your abilities are.  Thank God for the modified versions!










Hula hooping is a hobby of mine.  I usually use a light hoop that can be purchased in the toy section.  It is sparkly and pink, it also has beads in it so it makes a rhythmic noise that is somewhat soothing.  This weekend I decided to upgrade to a weighted fitness hoop.  My new fitness hoop is 2.5lbs and has a larger diameter than my regular hula hoop.  I hooped for 20 minutes yesterday and this morning I really felt the effort.  My hips feel slightly bruised and my lower back and abs are feeling tight.  I am going to have to work up to longer.

More effective than it looks

Living with diabetes is an everyday game of trial and error with ever changing rules.  As a way to try and prevent spikes, I am lowering my carb intake every week.  This week begins the 100 carbohydrates a day.  My diet is basically vegetable based; stir fry, vegetables instead of pasta, cauliflower "rice", and soon homemade paleo bread.  As carbohydrate intake lowers I need to increase my fat intake to make up for calories and to help keep my energy up.  I have been using unrefined coconut oil, grassfed butter, and eating flax meal.  I want to make coconut butter as a spread for a little extra fat and fiber to my diet.

Now for the promised recipes for Gluten free Cornbread!

The first recipe is from ComfyBelly.com, I love this site for recipes because it has an extremely wide variety.

http://comfybelly.com/2012/11/cornbread-using-almond-coconut-flour/#.UycJZvldXBU

I have made this before for chili and just as a great snack.  You don't have to add the honey, you can use agave nectar or even leave it out.  Try adding cheese or jalapenos for a special treat.

This next cornbread is a vegan version and is also very simple.  It is also really quick to make!  This recipe actually involves corn meal so it should taste more authentic.  It is sweetened using maple syrup and apple sauce.

http://www.satsumadesigns.com/naturalmakermom/gluten-free-vegan-cornbread-muffins-in-6-minutes/

Before I leave you for the day I want to ask a question.  What are you doing for your health today? I am drinking my Strawberry Shakeology and doing my 21 Day Fix.  Are you choosing to eat healthier?  Did your try and get a walk in after lunch?  Did you do calisthenics while watching a favorite tv show?  Please comment your answer!  I want to discuss how you can fit in more activity into your day in my next blog post.

For more information about Shakeology and fitness programs please visit:

 http://www.shakeology.com/endlesssunshine

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/EndlessSunshine

Clean Eating, Fitness, and Life

What a wonderful thing food can be!  I know that it can be my friend or be my enemy when it comes to managing my weight and blood sugar.  Recently I had a bit of a fiasco with Nutella, I know it is delicious.  Unfortunately it is also 22grams of carbohydrate and is full of fat.  This combination caused an extended period of higher than normal blood sugars for hours!

  I am all about flavor profiles and not actually depriving myself of yummy foods so I needed a replacement.  Now here is what I am having instead.

12 grams of carbohydrates and a much better nutritional profile than Nutella!

My blood sugar is just much better and it is good on everything including my next item.

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup cooked and cooled oatmeal (I use steel cut oats)
2 large eggs
Sweeten and spice as you like.  I use a half teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and a granulated stevia sweetener.

Pre heat oven to 350, grease a small baking pan.  Whisk together the ingredients until combined and pour into small, greased baking pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Makes one large serving or 2 servings.  Top with fruit, peanut butter, greek yogurt, or whatever takes your fancy.

So easy and good!

Please visit for more information about shakeology or fitness programs.
www.beachbodycoach.com/ENDLESSSUNSHINE
http://www.shakeology.com/endlesssunshine

December was CRAZY!

Yes I haven't been on in quite a while but for good reason.  This December was full of ups, downs, and just craziness from Husband's job training, blood sugar problems, and another fun surprise.  Now I am still working out everyday and trying to eat nice and healthy so no worries on that point. Blood sugar has been spiking again and I am still trying to fix that problem. I have another Endo appointment coming up so we can see how things are going.  I spike mostly at night for some reason.

Yes, I sent her this as a card

Now for the wild stuff that has happened this past month.  My twin sister developed type 1 diabetes!  We both knew it was a likely hood but you still hope it doesn't happen.  I feel responsible for her because I had it first so I feel at fault.  I know I am not at fault but still...Why her?  Darn genes!  All I can do is sit here 1000 miles away and try and support her through this tough time.

Looking awesome all numbed up

I got all of my wisdom teeth removed and I haven't had any complications.  Diabetes and a soft foods diet is not a fun time.  I ate pudding, yogurt, pudding, and more pudding for three days.  Had trouble with going low the whole time.  It has been a little over a week and I am back to normal almost. Luckily it was just my husband and I for Christmas dinner so I made Tacos!  I had homemade black beans, cheese, taco meat, avocado, sour cream, and Lava sauce.  Soft and tasty!

I received some great gifts this year.  Everything fit my life in some way. I got a food processor and as I write I have Paleo Brownies in the oven.  Just threw all the ingredients into it and whipped them up.  My home smells heavenly.

This recipe is from Paleo Mama's blog and they are really east to make.  I use 16 oz by volume not weight so use two cups of walnuts.

Paleo Brownies

• 16 oz of walnuts
• 1 egg
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tbs pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 oz unsweetened dark chocolate chopped

1 – 2 tbs coconut oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Grease a 8 x 8 baking dish with coconut oil.
2. Pulse walnuts in food processor until smooth and creamy.
3. In a large bowl, beat an egg.  Add in the nut butter and vanilla and honey and stir to combine.
4. Add in cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.  Stir in chopped chocolate.
5. Pour batter into greased baking dish.
6. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes.  It will puff up in oven and settle when it cools.  To check doneness, insert a toothpick or knife in the center.  It should come out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes and then cut and eat!

Now I didn't add the sea salt or unsweetened dark chocolate but I am sure all sorts of add ins would be great.  Next time I am going to attempt using Truvia as a sweetener and maybe a little coconut oil to compensate for the liquid, I wonder if an extra egg would work as well?

serving in this pan-12

Calories-330

Carbs-18

Fiber-4 grams

 Cute ornaments from my Mother.

The New Year is coming up next week and my schedule isn't exactly calm.  I start school soon and I still have fitness and health goals I want to obtain.  My Resolution is to be able to throw my 14lb bowling ball again and join a Summer league.  To obtain this goal I plan on doing yoga in the morning before class.  I have been trying to fit in weight training into my week as well.  I need to start doing more push ups when I have a spare moment.  I bet I could fit in 100 push ups of some form into my day easily.  We have been working out twice a day during Holiday vacation and I don't want to lose progress.  Newest addition to my exercise regimen is Zumba Core.

I have only done the short work outs but they are all high intensity and make me super sore in the obliques.  Good work out, fun, and easy to fit into the day.  I give it the Seal of Approval.


Now for my latest beauty tip.  Using baking soda and vinegar instead of shampoo and conditioner.  I have a small jar with a lid and then a larger jar in the shower.  I put two tablespoons of baking soda into the smaller jar and fill with water.  Wet  hair and then shake jar.  Pour baking soda water all over head and massage.  Rinse well.  Now in the larger jar add about half a cup of apple cider vinegar then fill with water.  Use the diluted vinegar as a final rinse.  My hair is shiny and smells a little like salad dressing.  I am really liking how soft and shiny my hair is from this cleansing method.  I do this as needed and use a conventional conditioner to Conditioner wash my hair when I feel my hair needs it.

Yeah I won't ever look like a cute JPOP Idol, but that is okay.  Have a Happy New Year!!

Blood sugar rollercoaster

Well folks the Paleo challenge was aborted due to blood sugar problems.  Started having lows in the 60's and that just isn't safe.  I will say that this lifestyle of eating is very easy, tasty, and healthy if done correctly.  Of course now that I am back to eating grains my blood sugar is back to spiking high occasionally.  I have discussed this with my Endocrinologist and we have come up with a new plan when it comes to using my fast acting insulin with meals.  I have another appointment in January to see if it is working, so far so good!  Also we discussed weight training and how it effects blood sugar.  Intense activity and weight training can cause high blood sugar because your muscles need more energy so the liver is all "Oh hey let me give you some more glucose in your blood" Now that is fine for non diabetics but it can be too much for a diabetic person.  So I am going to learn how to weight lift safely.

Hot and Steamy Zucchini instead of pasta 

School is starting in January and I will be taking two classes.  Just basic stuff but I am excited to get back into the swing of things.  I have a gym that is only a five minute walk away from where classes are held so I plan on parking there so I can workout during lunch.  I figure I can bring some high glycemic snack, a protein shake, a fruit, and some carrots and such for lunch.  Then hop on a treadmill or elliptical for a while before heading back to class.

Look it is my work out buddy!  No Santa I do not want these in my stocking.

Still no letter of denial for my Continuous Glucose Monitor!  I want to call and verify but I like thinking I am getting that at least.  How awesome would it be to know I will be warned if my blood sugar was going too low or going too high?  To go to sleep without wondering if I am going to go low in the middle of the night.  To go drive and not have to test every hour!  Just glance down at a little screen and snack if necessary.  Take fitness classes like spinning, Zumba, etc.. and not have to guess.

To motivate myself and my Husband over the Christmas break I plan on making a calendar to track our workouts.  I want to build muscle so I will put pushups, squats, ab work, and such on mine.  This way I can cross off what I have done and then at the end of the two weeks reward myself with something.  What should I give myself as a reward?  Tank tops to celebrate my toned arms?  Feel free to leave a comment with a good reward.

Now for a yummy Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Low carb, Paleo friendly, and tasty Mint Chocolate hot cocoa!

Ingredients:
Unsweetened Almond or Coconut milk, 1 cup
Cocoa Powder, 2Tblspoons
No calorie sweetener of choice, I use about two teaspoons of Truvia
Mint extract, Half a Teaspoon

Directions:
Pour one cup of "milk" into small sauce pan and heat over low heat.  Add in cocoa powder and sweetener and whisk until combined.  Once the cocoa is hot add in the half teaspoon of mint extract and stir.  Pour into a mug and enjoy!  You can also add a little bit of espresso or coffee granules to make it a Peppermint Mocha!  This Peppermint Cocoa ends up having only 50 calories and around 4 carbs per cup.

Now since I am doing some more fitness stuff should I do a Before picture?
You decide!

Day Two of Paleo Challenge

The paleo lifestyle is a diet of fruits, veggies, meats, fish, poultry, nuts, and seeds.  Yesterday I had acorn squash, coconut oil, walnuts, and pumpkin spice instead of my normal hot cereal or toast.  I still had my two Omega 3 eggs and decaf coffee with coconut milk and a grapefruit.  Lunch was a turkey salad with pears, romaine lettuce, turkey, and an apple on the side.  Dinner was roasted pork, roasted carrots in balsamic vinegar, and romaine lettuce.  Snacks were a strawberry banana spinach smoothie before I worked out, prunes, apples, clementines, banana, and sunbutter.  Not too bad sounding eh? My blood sugars were pretty stable and it was all easy to prepare.  There seems to be a lot of arguing about what is paleo and what isn't due to anti nutrients and such.  I may or may not get into that later.  Today it was scrambled eggs and Butternut squash.  I love squash so look forward to pictures of me turning orange.

Looks good right?

Still working out everyday and maintaining my weight.  I have an Endocrinologist appointment Tuesday so we shall find out my new A1C soon.  I need to pick up celery and more dried fruit.  I have prunes but I don't think I will want those everyday.  

 Basically my daily meals are lots of fruit, veggies, lean proteins, a handful of nuts, and green smoothies.  Crazy enough my blood sugar has been awesome!  I have been mixing coconut oil into my squash or sweet potatoes in the morning and it is very satisfying.  I will say I am loving all the healthy fats because my skin has been dry.  I should be glowing in about a week.  I am expecting a detox so bloating and acne should happen which isn't fun but is temporary.

Dinner was awesome!

Tomorrow I plan on making Baba ganoush, a roasted eggplant dip.  Instead of tahini I plan on using the sunflower seed butter.  For dinner we will be having chicken fajitas, I plan on using lettuce leaves for tortillas.  

Now for a beauty product review

So far I like it, leaves my skin smooth and still moisturized. For some reason my eyes water though which makes me wonder why they do that.  It is only $3.99 and I feel it is a good product for the price.

My latest workout craze is Zumba Rush for Xbox Kinect.  I haven't had time to get to classes at the gym so I can now do my Zumba at home!

Upbeat music, three class lengths, and three levels of intensity.  You also can create your own class  but I haven't fiddled with that yet.  A short class is about a half hour long and I choose the medium intensity and I can verify it will make you sweat!  It is very easy to follow and features the instructors from the Zumba videos.  The more energy you use for the moves the better your score will be, this unlocks bonus videos.  It features a calorie count that I believe is very inaccurate because it doesn't ask for any weight, height, or age.  It is better to use one online and either call it dancing or general aerobic activity for better accuracy.  A half an hour burns about 200 calories for me.

Another workout I have been doing is Dance Central.  I love dancing, I love video games so if we can put them together I am a happy lady.

 It isn't as intense as the Zumba game but when you need a break from traditional work outs then this is great.  They have a workout mode that does ask for weight and I find the calorie count to be fairly accurate.  I like the fact you have to work to unlock bonus songs and challenges.  This game features three different difficulty levels but you have to unlock the medium and hard difficulty through dancing well enough.  I just started unlocking the medium to hard level and I do enjoy the challenges.

Before I leave you for the day I want to remind you that I am not a licensed Dietitian, Nutritionist, or medical professional of any kind.  I have access to medical professionals such as a Certified Diabetes Educator, an Endocrinologist, and my regular doctor.  I do not recommend launching oneself into new ways of eating and exercising without having a physical and a good talk with a Nutritionist.  Get the Okay before starting any new program.  Have a wonderful evening!

Staying Positive

Life throws all sorts of things at you all the time.  It could be a flat tire, a financial problem, a health problem,  some sort of  hurdle you have to jump.  Sometimes it is good stuff like meeting your spouse, a new job opportunity, a new friend, or maybe you won something in a raffle.  What ever happens you need to be able to handle these changes and the stress that accompanies the good and bad in a healthy way.  Personally I used to handle things by being as busy as possible all the time so I didn't have to deal with the internal stress.  Too much going on let me ignore what was going on on the inside and I didn't address it until it manifested in an unhealthy way from stress.  Now a days I handle life differently.  It is now OK to be upset, to be disappointed, to say no to over scheduling myself, and it is OK to not finish the list of "TO DO" for the day.  As a military wife I have faced separations, injuries, health problems, moving issues, etc...but I let myself have a moment of "This is not fair!" or "Why can't this be easier?" and then I think of ways to make the situation more proactive.  Today I discovered getting an insulin pump isn't easy.  I felt like my entire future I had in my head was suddenly dead.  I cried, stated it wasn't fair, was angry, thought about ruining my health, but once I went through those emotions I started the process of how to re submit the paper work.  I contacted my doctors, made phone calls, and even went on DiabetesDaily.com to ask for advice.  I did what I could do at the moment and now I am continuing my day.  I just checked for drafts in my home and temporarily fixed a large one in the living room.

First get a towel you are not wild about and cut it into strips

Next use a butter knife to stuff it into drafty window spaces.

Beautiful day outside isn't it?

Hopefully the living  room won't be as cold, I am planning on using a window insulating kit as soon as I can get to the hardware store.

So far I am still going ahead with my Paleo Challenge for December.  I have been looking at recipes and getting ideas for day to day living.

Some examples of things that you can have are Omelettes, fruits salads, veggie salads, roasted veggies, soups, chilis(no beans), many of what I am already eating can be simply modified.  I am doing a lot of research for sources of iron and potassium.  I tend to not reach the RDA of these minerals.  Pretty excited about the challenge and look forward to sharing my experiences.

December Challenge

We are coming up to Thanksgiving Day and the end of the first challenge.  Exercising for at least a half hour a day and eating healthier.  I am proud to say I have been working out for a half hour or more everyday!  I did weigh myself a few days ago and I am happy to say I have maintained 116lbs but I am looking leaner and more toned.  I have been upping the resistance on the elliptical so more muscle should be coming.  I have been keeping a food diary using Myfittnesspal app on my smartphone so I know my average carbohydrate intake day to day so i am feeling confident about this new challenge next month.

 Source : Hanna-Barbera

Do you think they are eating Paleo?

Paleo experiment is coming!  The Paleo diet from what I have learned so far excludes grains, legumes, certain seeds and seed oils, and dairy.  It does include vegetables, fruits, eggs, grass fed beef, chicken, fish, pork, nuts, and seeds.  I know that from the start I am going to have a problem with the lack of Flax seed meal.  I use flax seed meal to make my low carb mug muffins and brownies to help with my sweet tooth.  Also ENERGY DRINKS, I am going to abstain from energy drinks and artificial sugar during this challenge.  That means no Cherry flavored Mio in my water bottle.  I have solutions already for this which is Iced Tea.  I need to make sure I have my iced herbal tea ready to go.  This will be an opportunity for me to try almond flour and coconut flour if I feel the need to.

Sample menu:
Breakfast can be a banana, an apple, some almond butter, glass of unsweetened coconut milk, some carrot sticks.
mid morning snack can be a small handful of nuts and dried fruit (sulfate free hopefully)
Lunch cam be a salad with fajita style chicken, peppers, onions, sauteed in olive oil and home made season blend.  A grapefruit with stevia.
Mid afternoon snack can be a bowl of berries or a baked sweet potato
Pre Workout can be a green smoothie with spinach and frozen fruit, mixed with unsweetened almond or coconut milk. No protein powder, I should be getting enough protein from the food I am eating.
Dinner can be some fish, roasted brussel sprouts, pumpkin and walnuts with a drizzle of raw honey.

I am not trying to lose weight so I am going to snack on fruit as much as I need to for my blood sugar levels.  I am going to try and add dried fruit to help keep up my carbohydrate intake during busy parts of the day.  I have read that I can have coffee in moderation so I will try and keep it to one cup of real coffee a day. I am still going to track the foods to ensure adequate amounts of nutrients.  I am also going to continue taking my medications as prescribed by my doctor.  I do not condone any drastic changes in diet without discussing it with a Dietitian.  I have taken nutrition classes in college and I have access to a Certified Diabetes Educator if any questions or problems arise.


Now for a product review.

As you know I don't want to spend loads of money on beauty items,  One thing I am a fan of though is clay masks.  I looked into making my own clay masks and I believe that it is cheaper for me to buy the pre made formulas.  I only use them once every two weeks so it isn't a huge expense.  The masks I like are by Queen Helene.  I have been using these face masks for many years and enjoy the results. At the moment I have the Mint Julep Mask on, that is for oily acne prone skin.  I don't have acne prone skin but I find the mint refreshing.  My tube is almost empty so it is time to re stock.  I am looking to get a moisturizing mask as well.  They have an Olive Oil mask and a regular clay mask.  I bet I can get all three for less then $10 for all three.

For our recipe today we are making our own Dish powder!  I have been making my own dish powder and laundry soap for almost a year now and only needed just recently to buy more "Ingredients".

For the dish powder you need:
Borax powder 1 cup
Washing Soda 1 cup
Citric acid (LemiShine) 1 cup for hard water 1/2 cup for softer water
Kosher salt 1/2 a cup

Mix this all in a large bowl and stir every few hours to prevent clumping. I wait for two or three days and then store in a seal-able container.  I have mine in an old margarine tub.  Use 1 or 2 Tablespoons per wash and use either white vinegar or your choice of rinse agent.  I use the LemiShine rinse agent as well.
This information and other Do it Yourself stuff can be found at DIYNatural.com.  I love this site and use it quite a bit when it comes to making my own natural cleaners.
Saves me money and we all like to do that.