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.