shiraloo

[shiraloo]

I'm just interested, what did you think were missteps in season 2?

arrowgirl20 answered your post: What did you think of Troubled Hearts?

Loved it! Jack and Elizabeth, Lee and Rosemary are too adorable. I feel like Jesse is going to break Clara’s heart (I think that’s her name, Right?). Gowen is being as shady as ever. Overall, this season looks fantastic!

I am especially loving Lee and Rosemary this season.  They’re probably my favorite couple actually.  They’re just so fun and Rosemary is a riot.  I love all her meddling and how Lee just goes with it.  They have a great dynamic.

I wonder what Jesse’s arc will be.  There seems to be a trend of guys turning out to be not who they claim to be and it’d be nice if they’d change it up.  I think he has the potential to be a good guy but we’ll see.  Clara deserves to find love with a nice, respectable guy.  I think it’s hard to say at this point if Jesse is even being genuine with her or not so it’ll be interesting to see what comes of the whole gang subplot.  If he does actually care for her, maybe he’d turn against the gang.  

There’s so much couple-y goodness coming our way and I’m really excited.  There’s also the arrival of Faith and of the new character Wade and Jack’s mom, of course.  The season is already shaping up to be good and I want to have faith that the writers and everyone else working on the show have learned from some of the missteps of season 2.  People have been saying season 3 is the best yet and I want to believe that.  Fingers crossed we’re all happy in the end (and that we get a season 4)!

[shiraloo]

In 2004 I got sick and was out of work for some time, so I bought myself a Lego Star Wars star destroyer collectors edition. At the time, I paid 350 I think, which I thought was nuts, but it was a great build. I sold it shortly after for what I paid for it, when I had to move and couldn't justify bringing a gigantic Lego ship with me. In any case, I checked for it the other day doing some research with my husband.

It's actively selling for 4500$ on eBay. I shed tears.

My only true New Year’s resolution is to de-clutter. To that end, I’ll be selling/giving away a lot of my collectibles. I’ll keep only the ones I can’t bear to part with. Wish me luck, lol.

[shiraloo]

The Lego ones will go for millions, I tell you, millions. Keep them for awhile longer and you'll get back at least 10x what you paid originally.

My only true New Year’s resolution is to de-clutter. To that end, I’ll be selling/giving away a lot of my collectibles. I’ll keep only the ones I can’t bear to part with. Wish me luck, lol.

[shiraloo]

And have a child together......make of that what you will.

I was watching an old Paley from months ago and Kerry was asked if her and tony relationship was like brother and sister and josh said yeah like game of thrones and everybody started laughing. What did I miss? I haven't watch that show. Why was it so funny?

I don’t watch it either but apparently the brother and sister on the show sleep together.

[shiraloo]

I entered the first time. Is this a different giveaway or the same one?

I guess no one wants this free Kindle.

[shiraloo]

Day 19 -- RECAP

I’m feeling rough still.  I had to end up taking medicine which I don’t like to take to keep me from missing out on Thanksgiving festivities.  Why oh why does my stomach hate me?!

In the meantime, today I had more blood sugar issues.  Felt dizzy all day.  Ate a pretty decent amount, so I don’t know what that’s about.

Tonight’s dinner was a hit with everyone.  Spaghetti Squash Bolognese from Balanced Bites.  I left out the wine and just added more beef bone broth.  It was really flavorful without that many spices.  Ate 2 helpings!

[shiraloo]

Thanksgiving whole30 style! Salmon with herbs, collards with bacon, and mashed sweet taters. Don't worry, Scott is having turkey. #whole30 #paleo #thanksgiving #nutrition

[shiraloo]

Day 14 - RECAP

I spoke too soon.  After the relative euphoria of Saturday morning, I had a late lunch that didn’t sit well with me and after leftover soup for dinner, I was violently ill, per usual.  I don’t know if it was the spice or cauliflower in the soup or the coconut in the zucchini fritters (I think coconut might be one of my triggers).  It could also have been the hard boiled eggs I had at lunch.  This is the second time that I was ill after eating hard boiled eggs.  I really hope egg isn’t to blame because it’s my only breakfast repertoire. 

It could have also been that I ate too much fat throughout the day.  I am re-examining how much fat I really am eating with each meal.  My gallbladder may not be able to handle it.

I had eggs this morning and felt fine, although still recovering from last night’s issue.  I then had to skip lunch as we went to a child’s birthday party with no compliant food.  Well that isn’t totally true, I did munch on veggie sticks, but without protein and fat options available, I wasn’t sure if I should load up. 

When it came time for dinner I was starving, as you can see by the portions on my plate above.  This recipe was another winner, Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Butternut Squash from PaleoLeap.  I had some pork escalopes on hand from the farm (our source of locally-pastured meat) so I used those instead of tenderloin.  Also, the butternut squash part called for apples, but I only had hubby’s sweet ones on hand and decided not to use them.  This was a good call, as both hubby and I agreed the addition of the apples would have made the entire dish too sweet.  As it was, the butternut squash was silky and slightly sweet from cinnamon and just divine.  I served it with black kale I needed to get out of the fridge cooked in bacon fat and a bit of ghee. 

I can’t believe tomorrow is Day 15.  I’m still having to educate everyone around me that this isn’t a diet, this is a way of life.  Hubby keeps saying, “when your 30 days are up, there’s this pizza place I want to try,”  or similar missives.  I keep having to remind him that this isn’t just 30 days to goof off -- it is to eliminate things from my diet that might be affecting my health and my pain level.  So pizza made in a shop will likely be out of the question.  It will definitely be a balance to remain clean without forcing the hubby into a state of resentment.  I guess I need to start reading up on re-entry!

[shiraloo]

Oven baked zucchini fritters topped with homemade olive tapenade. A great addition to my leftover soup dinner.

[shiraloo]

End of Week 2 - RECAP

Sorry I haven’t blogged much lately.  Or taken pictures of yummy food on gross green plates in really poor London evening light.  I know you all have been itching for those pictures.

This week brought some interesting challenges, especially related to my hormones.  I believe I do have some sort of hormone problem, as I get debilitating nausea surrounding the times when hormones in a woman’s body would normally be fluctuating.  I thought Whole30 was supposed to help, but like clockwork, the nausea appeared and stayed through Tuesday.  It definitely wasn’t as bad as it has been in the past, and I chalked it up to Whole30 blood sugar issues.  Much of it was solved if I just ate something, usually a potato or other starchy veg.

But come Wednesday-Thursday (Days 10-11), I was an emotional mess.  The nausea was gone but I had total apathy for everything.  For eating, for cooking, for going to work.  I just wanted to stay home on my couch.  Many people on Whole30 say that days 10-11 are hard, and they were.  I didn’t reach for the chocolate though, so for that I am supremely proud of myself. 

Friday, however, Day 12, brought a new me.  The nausea had subsided, the sun was shining and I felt great.  No morning stomach cramping.  No bloating.  I felt light on my feet and just settled internally.  It was a great feeling.  I am hoping this is the feeling of someone on the mend.  I even told my husband that at the end of the 30 days, or longer if I decide to keep going, I will likely just keep eating like this because it feels so much better than how I used to feel.

I did make a few good recipes this week for those playing along at home:

-- Baked Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes from Diethood:  I omitted the butter and seared the chicken in ghee instead.

-- Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup from multiple recipes:  I omitted the cream, instead opting for a chicken-filled broth with no creaminess.  Everyone liked it.

Here’s to Week 3!

[shiraloo]

Squee!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!

Five! Days! Ahhhhhh!! =)

Pre-orders now available on: Amazon Google Play Kobo

[shiraloo]

I'm sorry you don't feel good. I'm likely going to take it longer than 30 days as well. Mostly because with our ingrained problems, I have a feeling they won't be solved in 30 days.

Day 16 Dinner: Artichoke with clarified garlic butter, zoodles with turkey meat sauce. The past two days have been a little rough, but mostly because I’m having some gnarly sinus symptoms from detoxing from Zyrtec. Afternoon/evening headaches, sinus pain, etc. I also had a chicken sausage for dinner last night which turned my stomach a bit. I find that now on Whole30, I’m much more sensitive to food texture, spices, and other subtlety than I was before. If I don’t like it, it makes me feel nauseated for at least a few hours after, sometimes even the whole day. I think though that’s it’s worth trying new things, since you never know what your new go-to protein might be. But I am looking forward to the promise of a healed gut in the weeks to come… Or might I be one of those people that it takes 45 days, or 60? 😥

[shiraloo]

Yay halfway!!!! You are doing so great!!!

Day 15 Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, asparagus. It’s the half-way point! 🎉💪👑 I’m so proud of myself that I’ve kept this up for so long. In the past I’ve barely been able to give up pasta during Passover which is only a week! I’m not sure yet what my physical results will be at the end of this, but I have a feeling I may only lose a few pounds. Which is ok– weight loss was a plus to this experiment, but not one of my big reasons. My stomach issues are probably in the process of healing themselves– so I don’t see a 180 degree difference right now. I do however, feel a lot less bloating, especially after meals. And then in terms of my sugar/carb cravings, I really am doing better than I thought I would. I don’t crave grains or sugar, and unless food is waved in my face I don’t really think about it. My only issue is at 3/3:30pm, where I feel like I need a little snack. I read in the book last night it’s extremely dangerous to give your body fruit at this time, because all it knows is- “I wanted sugar, I got sugar.” It doesn’t recognize that the sugar was from fruit and not a mini Snickers. So starting today, no more 3pm snack. If I’m hungry, I need to wait until 4:30ish and have a pre-workout meal instead. Anyway, onwards and upwards to the final half of these 30 days!!

[shiraloo]

Holy sheet.

The Most Creative Bookshelves Ever

[shiraloo]

Day 6 - RECAP

Today was OK.  It was housecleaning day but as I started cleaning the bathrooms, I got incredibly lightheaded every time I would bend over to wipe something.  I made it through, but this blood sugar side effect really sucks. 

I chose to picture dinner tonight because it was another winning meal for both me and the hubby.   We had burgers, oven-baked, hubby’s on a bun and mine on a bed of mashed avocado.   The sides are Herb Parsnip Fries and Red Cabbage Salad, both from Well Fed.  I think I might need to invest in her cookbooks because her recipes have not disappointed thus far.

I’ve been thinking about the changes I want to make permanently when the 30 days are over.  I definitely think I want to incorporate some paleo rules, so I am using this Whole30 to try out recipes that will hopefully be good enough to add to the family cookbook.  If we can eat this way all the time, I think we will both benefit, since hubby swears he could never do a Whole30 because he can’t give up his sugary-sweet coffee.

[shiraloo]

Day 5 - RECAP

I’m feeling ok today.  No sugar crash headache yet, although I never ate a ton of sugar to begin with.  I’m a starchy-carb junkie through and through.  I’m not feeling the “tiger blood” yet, but I can start to see signs of detox.  I’ve broken out like crazy around my jaw line but as the skin is one of our most sensitive organs, I know it’s just getting rid of all the bad stuff, so I’m forgiving it for now.

Had a sick child to take care of so stayed home most of the day.  Had some eggs with a potato cake for breakfast, a salad for lunch, followed by a banana with almond butter.  And I still got nauseous around 3:00.  I’m not sure it’s hunger or what, but it’s annoying.  I would usually go for a cracker, something light that would settle my stomach a bit.

I tried ginger tea to settle it.  Didn’t work.  Will try peppermint tomorrow.

Fortunately, dinner seems to have curbed the beast for now.  Since I wasn’t feeling 100%, I was glad I had a soup planned.  Cauliflower Chicken Chowder from The Healthy Foodie, with watercress instead of arugula.  I used chicken bone broth to give my gut that extra boost.  It was good, although I was a bit heavy handed on the chili flakes (a mistake) which made it a bit spicy for my taste.  But I did have two bowls in the hopes of fixing something to make the nausea go away. 

This weekend will be time at home to prep and eat well and get ready to start Week 2 on Monday.  I must say, I am proud I have lasted this long.

[shiraloo]

Day 3-4 Recap

I’m still here.  Still devoted.  Still eating well. 

If I had to classify how I feel, I would say I feel light.  I don’t feel bogged down by my stomach.  It almost feels like a huge weight has been lifted off and I can stand up straighter.  I can get through the day without huge blood sugar crashes.  I stay awake, although I am pretty tired.  I am not bounding about with tons of energy, but I feel settled.  It’s hard to put into words, but know that it is good.

I have had 2 challenges.  Day 3′s challenge was an uncooperative husband.  While I know he supports me in spirit, we found that he resents that my way of eating disrupts his life.  Case in point, we had made reservations for Afternoon Tea at Harrods after the little guy saw Santa Claus yesterday.  Because of the restaurant rules, there was no way I would be able to eat anything that was Whole30 compliant.  So I asked for my money back and got it!  I thought that would be the end of it, but then hubby started to complain.  No restaurant I could think of in Harrods had salads or anything I could make work.  The one restaurant I could make work with a steak charged $150 for an 8oz Ribeye.  Yeah no, not doing that.  So we left in a huff and returned home where there were tons of Whole30 approved leftovers.

I get that he was put out.  But this is my life.  I’m not doing this on a whim, I’m not doing this half-heartedly.  I have been sick for too long and the doctors don’t know what it is, so why can’t I try this?  Why can’t I be committed to something that might actually make me feel better?  Hubby had the nerve to ask me if I could have a cheat day.  On Day 3.  

Challenge averted, although now I hold the resentment.  I did not however sublimate my rage with oreos, so that’s positive.

Day 4′s challenge came in the form of lunch.  Because of Murphy’s Law today, my salad I had packed for lunch stayed at home.  There were no compliant options in the cafeteria, and I didn’t have time to run off campus because I had a work emergency that needed dealing with.

The thing was, I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat lunch at all.  And that’s bad.  Lesson learned that I need to have emergency stores in every location just in case this happens again.  BUT, the positive is I didn’t grab a to go sandwich on my way to get the little guy from school, which is also one of my habits when lunch doesn’t happen.

Posted are pictures of my Day 4 Breakfast (leftover Cowboy Scramble with blueberries and an extra egg) and Day 4 Dinner, Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Mushroom Cream Sauce from bydawnnicole served with leftover cumin beets and plain steamed vegetables.  The chicken was good, if a bit coconut-y, but tasty nonetheless.