Low calorie Oscar Night

Sun March 2

Woke up this morning excited to start the day and the 90 day Tai Cheng, hoping that it will help me gain flexibility in my bad leg. Chet said that he would do it with me. Love that we are both on the same page. We are keeping each other on track. Now that being said.. I have been trying to get him to do the evaluation piece all week so when we were ready we could jump right in and start. Always an excuse why not to.. Grrr.. So, today we had to do the evaluation piece, then do day 1, then off to the Y. Well the evaluation took WAY too long, so we were unable to go to the Y. I was so pissed when we first started. But by the time we got to the scoring stage, you would have never known that I started out HOT under the collar (work out clothes).
We had so much fun.. we were giggling, laughing at our selves and each other as we scored our flexibility, or lack there of.. After the first 'test' Chet quickly realized that just because you can run, jog, or do the workout machines with ease, does not mean that you are flexible or have motion control. I knew that I was going to suck at some of the tests, but would do great on some other. I should have taped the session as it would have made it on America's Funniest Home Video's. We looked like drunk clowns. But Net Net.. we had fun and are looking forward to gaining stability and flexibility.

Oscars Day- Homemade Gourmet Food Fest
We have been planning for today all week. What will we make this year? How bad will we cheat? Do we want Wine and Beer? etc.. etc.. 3 things that were not a question. Foie Gras, Caviar and no Nitrates/Nitrites (and YES cheese so 4 things). Taking Nitrates/Nitrites off the table eliminated salami and wine. We decided to go with Takibo (sushi) Caviar vs Beluga (yes we would special order 1 oz ... It's the Oscars!!), and to try and eat as clean as possible. What do you think? Still sounds good huh.. Everything but the Foie is something we can eat on a regular basis. Eat clean and fresh yet decadent. Officially 'Heather-ized' the menu!! Time to start a recipe blog... Clean eating doesn't mean just raw veggies and quinoa. :) Over the next few weeks I will start putting together my recipes and start posting them to a separate thread.

This years Oscars menu :
Water - we were going to open a bottle of Kombucha, but forgot.. we are just so used to water :)
1 oz Foie Gras
1 oz Brie
1 oz Italian - Bucheron style cheese
1 flat bread cracker
Dry 'sauted' cajun shrimp (8) - spritz of evoo in the pan
Faux Blini's - Smoked Salmon, Caviar, 1/2 Tbs Herb Kefir cheese on 1/4" thick dry 'fried' potato slice (3)
Dry seared scalops (3)
Jalapeno Popper - 1/2 tsp Herb Kefir cheese, 1/2 Tbs Roquefort cheese, 1/4 oz chopped cajun chicken (2)

Typical Oscars menu: (with lots of left overs that would extend the binge for days)
Bottles of Wine and beer
2-4 oz of Foie gras (package is only 6 oz and we generally had ~1 oz left over)
many oz of many different gourmet cheeses
many oz of hot sopressata, chorizo, pepperoni,
1-2 prosciutto and provolone stuffed peppers
many gourmet olive blend
REAL Blini's or potato latkes with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and caviar
bacon wrapped Filet
Roasted Brussels Sprouts w pancetta (lots of EVOO and salt)
jalapeno poppers filled with a mixture of chorizo, smoked gouda, cream cheese, mayo and topped with TONS of spiced ranch
Roquefort cheese dip
extra rich brownies with a layer of a peanut butter concoction, topped with an extra thick and rich cream cheese frosting (Chet's favorite - I generally didn't eat any, but I have my fill with all the taste testing while making it.. Now the next day I did generally eat one or 2)

other dishes that have made an appearance on Oscars night:
Oil sauteed shrimp and or scallops
Crawfish with garlic butter 
Crusty bread
Chip beef dip
ranch dip
veggie dip

March 2, 2014 Oscars Menu Pictures

Foie Gras and Cheese

Cajun Shrimp

Jalapeno 'Popper'

Seared Scallops

Hungry yet? Wait till you see the calorie count.. it will surprise you!!

For lunch I had the Foie and cheese. I decided to have a full oz a piece of the cheese and 1 oz of Foie. I'm OWNING IT.. This may have been a blessing in disguise.. As I was eating the pure FAT on a tiny cracker, I started to feel sick. I almost couldn't finish it.. But I did.. I had to go and lay down for a bit. My system was NOT ready for all that rich FAT all at once. I actually contemplated throwing up as I really felt like crap.. But didn't want to start that shit.. Lesson.. even smaller portion control going forward.

Ran up to the store to grab a few things for dinner. While in the store these 2 ladies stopped me to ask how to cook fish. Haa.. who am I the fish lady? - They saw that I had a bag of frozen scallops in my cart.. so I guess I am the fish lady.. We chatted for a bit and I suggested the Veracruz recipe. The one asked what to serve it over.. pasta? I told her that we had it over quinoa cuz we had just come off a cleanse and had not added pasta back to our diet yet. The other lady was happy I said that as she loves quinoa. But here was the feel good moment.. LADY - ' You have the most beautiful hands and nails.'  ME - 'Huh..' LADY - ' What ever vitamins you have been taking has done wonders for your nails, they are beautiful'  ME (still stunned as I was in my work out clothes, no make up, greasy hair in a pony tail, hoping to not speak to anyone) - 'Why thank you!' We had closing exchanges and parted ways. me smiling and looking at my hands and nails :)

Confession: Many of us have self loathing self images. Believe me I am absolutely one of those people. However, there are a few body parts that I have always liked about myself. Thick hair, strong white natural nails and naturally white teeth (now I do use crest white strips from time to time). As a pre-teen early 80's WAY before all the aloe gloves and socks, I used to buy white cotton gloves (I had to order them at the pharmacy) and put vitamin E (from the caps) on my cuticles and Vaseline jelly on my hands and feet and cover them with gloves and socks and sleep in them. Not sure where I learned it from, as no one I knew did this. The only thing I can think of is maybe I read it in the Prevention magazine. But anyway my family would always laugh as did my collage roommates. Again this was before it became main stream. For my hair, I used to put this cholesterol hair cream on and sleep with a plastic shower cap and a warm wet towel. Ohh I was a sight.. But always had good nails and hair :)  Having Thyroid disease changed that. My hair fell out and is now very thin, my nails were still white, but got really thin and I went through a biting nail phase a few years ago with all the stress with work. My toe nails started looking so freaking gross. So much so that I stopped getting pedicures and wearing open toe shoes.
As I was walking away and standing in line. I really looked at my hands and nails. WOW.. they do look great. Very white tips, no white spots, all very long and strong, and so in need of a manicure. Heee.. But I hadn't noticed. Thanks lady in the store, time to take back my hand, nail and hair routine and love my nails again :)

Because of my lunch fiasco and upset stomach, for dinner I was VERY conservative with the Roquefort 1 TBS total. Can you believe my FAVORITE cheese ever - free pass to indulge and I only had 1/2 oz?? Who am I?? and what did this cleanse do to me?? Haaa. I REMOVED my own Cheese and Wine.. Haa.. I crack myself up.. To be honest I am afraid to add it back due to all the Thyroid issues and other 'bad' side effect of moldy cheeses. Special occasions only.. I do not want to aggravate my system this soon after the cleanse.



Breakfast - Coffee, Shakeo w 1/2 C Kefir Whey, 
Lunch - 1 oz D'artagnan - Whole Duck Foie Gras, 1 oz Casatica di Bufla (Italian Buffalo milk in the French Bucheron style), 1 oz Formage D'Affinois Brie, 1 flat bread cracker
Dinner - Sauteed Shrimp (8), 3 Faux Blinis, 2 Jalapeno Poppers
Snack - 3 Seared Scallops


Noticeable changes 

Not as sore as I thought I would be after yesterday's workout
BP good - high - mid 80's


Body - really long and strong nails :), a lil sore from the workout at the Y

Mind - tired.. need to go to bed earlier

Totals for the day - 1,241 Cal 83 Carb 66 Fat 97 Prot 11 Fiber 100 oz H2O
Link data -  3249 Cal burned, 55 min moderate activity, 5809 steps, 5:49 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  ~1200 cals (can you believe it? was high in fat - BUT..), 100+ oz H2O, oil pulled, stretches, 5000+ steps, 30+ min activity

Goals not met for the day -  over on cheese allocation, smoked 11 cigs, no 6 hrs of sleep

New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore

Post Reset Day 18 (3/1)

Sat March 1 - Day 18 post Reset

Beautiful day today!! Carolina blue skies, sunny.. a bit chilly but beautiful day! Spring is almost here.. Woke up with gusto for the day.. Stepped on the demon and was pleasantly surprised.. down 3.2 lbs.. YEA.. finally broke the 50 lb loss mark.. But still 4.9 lbs from the Big Goal.. need to see the number move from XX0 to XX9.9.. Hey I am in marketing.. I like $0.99 cents vs $1.00. Or it could just be my self proclaimed OCD rearing its ugly head - :-) My energy hit the roof.. I decided today was the day I was going to go to the Y and work out..
Confession time - We have been members of the Y for over 12 years straight. In the past 5 years I think I have been there only a few times.  I used to go and work out on the equipment, but I loved going to Pilates. I would attend the Tues night and Friday afternoon class, and work out 4-5 days a week. Key word!! USED TO!!! I have a commercial grade Stairmaster, Yoga ball, free weights, yoga mats.. none of which have been  used in about 5 years. 
When I started the health challenge on Dec 2nd I had a goal to start going back to the Y. I knew that I was not in physical shape to just start going to the gym, so I began taking short walks. And I mean SHORT.. I could barely walk to the end of the road and back. But I pushed myself to at least get out and walk a few days a week. While walking may be a great exercise for most people, it actually aggravates my bad leg due to the bowing and my gait.

My Christmas Present

 So mid way through December I decided that I wanted to get a recumbent bike so I could work up my stamina with a fairly low impact to my bad knee and leg. GOAL - build stamina and confidence to feel comfortable going to the gym and using the elliptical, and Pilates classes. NET NET - I didn't want to embarrass myself on the machines :)

The only problem with a recumbent bike, is you need good range of motion (full knee flexion and extension) which I do not have in my bad leg. My right leg (bad) does not even have 90 degree flexion. This causes un-natural peddling, I have to go slow as to not cause more damage to my hip. Once I get full range of motion, I look forward to riding the bike during many of my conference calls at work. Keep moving :) I'm getting there!

 I conquered my fear, insecurity, anxiety and went to the Y!! I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes on this cool leg press recumbent cardio machine and ~20 minutes of circuit weights. HOLY SHIT!! I did it.. This milestone is instrumental in aiding my journey to better health, fitness and ultimate weight loss. I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF!!! There ya go I said it.. Self promotion vs self deprecation!! 3-5 times a week min at the Y!!

After I got back from the Y, I got a text from my Auntie that made me smile.. basically she said that she decided to go for a winter hike today, inspired by my blog :) Ahhh.. wish I lived closer :) XOXO.. You made my day!!

Side bar.. I fit into an old Danskin sports bra.. vs super plus size stuff I have been wearing.. Can't wait to re-clean out my closet and start trying on smaller sized clothes. Maybe tomorrow..

Finally the Kombucha is ready for bottling and flavoring. Our choices - Raspberry Ginger, 2 Blueberry Ginger, Mango Ginger, (front) Cacao Nibs Vanilla and Maca, and Plain (back). Aren't they beautiful.. I can't wait to open them in a few days after they have finished the secondary. - Chet is in his glory as this is just like brewing beer

Bottled KT

Did a little bit of the weekly mise en place and some cleaning, then finished my blog catch up :)
Tomorrow we start the 90 day Tai Cheng challenge. here is to better flexibility and movement!

Ciao Caio!!

Breakfast - Shakeo, 
Lunch - 4 oz chicken, 1 serving leftover stir-fry
Snack - 1 Coffee, few tastes of mango, raspberry and blueberry puree
Dinner - 1 Coffee, 4 oz Mahi Mahi with left over Veracruz sauce and 1/2 C quinoa, stir - fry veggies
Snack - 8 oz Homemade plain Kombucha (needed to test my own products :))

Mahi Mahi w Veracruz Sauce and Quinoa

Noticeable changes 
Fantastic energy..
BP good - high - mid 80's

Body - back is still a bit sore, knee feels good, but a touch sore.

Mind - kinda scattered

Totals for the day - 890 Cal 90 Carb 29 Fat 72 Prot 15 Fiber 60 oz H2O, 52.2 lbs lost
Link data -  3527 Cal burned, 1:13 hr moderate activity, 6223 steps, 6:21 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  ~1200 cals, oil pulled, stretches, 5000+ steps, 30+ min activity

Goals not met for the day -  no 100+ oz H2O, smoked 9 cigs, 


New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore

Post Reset Day 17 (2/28)

Fri February 28 - Day 17 post Reset

Yea Friday's here!! Have a busy weekend planned. The weather is going to be nice, need to start spring cleaning. Open the windows and let the good chi into the house. I love the spring. We also plan to start the 90 day Tai Cheng challenge and Oscars Sunday!

Plan to bottle the Kombucha finally - can't wait for my own homemade brew. Don't get me wrong we love GT's KT - but I want to experiment and make my own flavors. I know.. imagine that :) Tomorrow's the day.

 I had gotten a frozen filet of Snapper at the store earlier this week and I wanted to cook it up. Getting sick of chicken and salmon. Chet found a great recipe - that we changed up a bit :) Basically a puttanesca like sauce - tomatoes, capers, olives, jalapenos and only 65 calories per serving. I was a bit nervous as we have not had tomato sauce in over 5 weeks. But neither one of us had any issues and this is a keeper. We have left over sauce, so will try this again tomorrow with Mahi Mahi. One thing to notice in the pictures below.. What is missing?? - Umm Cheese.. in my former life this dish would have been covered in fresh grated Asiago/Parm/Romano. Looks like I WILL be able to cook my traditional Italian/Mediterranean meals without smothering in cheese. Did I say that??? Hehehe.. Everything is better with cheese, except my waist line and my heart. Portion control babee!!

Ohh Happy Birthday Auntie! Love you and have a great Birthday Weekend!!

Ciao ciao!

Breakfast - Coffee, 1/2 Mango, 1 Kiwi, 1/2 C grapes, 1/2 C Kefir, 
Snack -  1 Coffee
Lunch - 4 oz chicken, 4 Asparagus spears, 1 oz Kefir cheese on cuc rounds, 1/2 left over roasted zuch
Snack - Small salad w chia, 1 Coffee,
Dinner - 1 Coffee, 2 oz Red Snapper with Veracruz sauce and 1/2 C quinoa, stir- fry veggies

Veracruz Snapper

Snapper and Veggies

Noticeable changes 
Back feels better but still a bit sore
BP good - high - mid 80's
Cycle cramps and bloat arebetter

Body - dehydrated - need to figure out how to get back on track with the 100+ oz of water, wokr up with dry eyes

Mind - distracted, lack of focus

Totals for the day - 1,178 Cal 148 Carb 42 Fat 73 Prot 27 Fiber 60 oz H2O
Link data -  2739 Cal burned, 1 min moderate activity, 3909 steps, 7:23 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  ~1200 cals, oil pulled, stretches, allowed cheese serving

Goals not met for the day -  no 100+ oz H2O, smoked 8 cigs, no 5000+ steps, no 30 min activity,


New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore

Post Reset Day 16 (2/27)

Thurs February 27 - Day 16 post Reset

Started the day off exhausted.. Why do I make early AM appointments??.. But needed to get into the chiro and get some relief from my tight back and leg.The massage therapist performed some Reiki on my bad knee. She was funny.. she said to me after. This knee really needs some extra attention.. I felt like saying ' no SHIT Sherlock' - bane of my existence since Dec 7, 1987.. More on that another day.. The massage and adjustment felt great. Need to work this into my weekly routine or at least bi-weekly.

Stepped on the demon this AM.. GRRRR.. only down .8 lbs in almost a full week.. My cycle needs to end already - I'm sick of the cramps, bloating and water retention. This cycle has been horrible.. I know that the Reset has altered my cycle and the lack of blood thinners (Wine, NSAID's) have made things 'blocked' up, but enough already.. Ok done with the TMI.. Will try and weigh again when it is over, hopefully I will be down a few lbs to make up for the week. The one bright spot was that when the chiro walked in.. first thing she said was.. 'WOW.. you really have lost some weight'.. She hasn't seen me in 2 weeks, so that comment at least brightened my spirits.

Decided to start drinking full decaf  vs 1/2 caf & 1/2 decaf. I am staying up way to late and not getting my min 6 hrs of sleep. Had to run up to Southern Seasons to get 'REAL' flavored decaf. Plus decided to get a few gourmet items for Oscar Sunday. Every year for the Oscars we make fancy Hors d’Oeuvres. - Cheese, Salami, bread dip, Foie Gras (don't hate us.. check out this video on the truth of Duck cruelty), black truffles, caviar, etc.. I'll  talk more on Sunday about how I'll change the menu for our new healthier lifestyle. But not to worry.. there will be cheese, Foie Gras and caviar.. :)

Grrr.. was cleaning out the compost bucket, and a huge mound of black dust wafted into my nose and lungs. Hope it wasn't black mold.. but have felt like crap ever since it happened.. I probably should have pulled out the neti pot to clear it out. But I didn't. I'll be paying for that tomorrow.

YEA.. almost the weekend.. I need a break from work :)

Ciao Ciao!!


Breakfast - Coffee, Shakeo w Kefir whey, 1 C Kefir, 
Snack -  1 Coffee
Lunch - 4 oz chicken, 1 oz Kefir cheese on cucumber slices topped with 1/8 tsp chia seeds
Snack - 1 Coffee, Salad w chia,
Dinner - 6 oz Turkey Burger, 1/2 each roasted zuch and squash, 10 Asparagus spears, 1/2 oz Boars Head 3 pepper cheese, 1/2 oz Boars Head Chipolte Gouda
Snack - 1 serving (13) nut crackers

Noticeable changes 
Feeling dehydrated need to up the water
BP good - high - mid 80's
Cycle cramps and bloat are really bad STILL WTF enough already!!

Body - some relief of back and knee pain, eyes dry this am, lungs tight and nose stuffy - think from the compost bin

Mind - a bit foggy might need to increase carbs

Totals for the day - 1,387 Cal 116 Carb 59 Fat 117 Prot 19 Fiber 60 oz H2O
Link data -  2985 Cal burned, 10 min moderate activity, 7137 steps, 4:22 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  oil pulled, stretches, 5000+ steps, allowed cheese servings

Goals not met for the day -  went over 1300 cals, no 100+ oz H2O, smoked 8 cigs, no 30 min activity,no min 6 hrs of sleep


New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore

Post Reset Day 15 (2/26)

Wed February 26 - Day 15 post Reset

Woke up sore all over, especially my back. But not my typical lower right, this pain is in the middle of my back around the bra strap area. Also, feeling very tight in my hamstring and tendons in my bad knee. Made an appointment with the chiropractor for tomorrow and a medical massage. Need some relief!!

Found this cool link on Adrenal fatigue. While I am not a big fan of adding any more supplements to my already packed routine, I think I will give this OJ cocktail a try for a few days. Can't hurt right?

Not much else going on, typical work day. Trying to stay off the bathroom demon because each time I get on the past few days I am either up or have not lost anything. Grrr.. can't wait for my cycle to end. I know that it is causing this plateau.. Patience Grasshopper!!!

Salad and Spiced Kefir Cheese

Breakfast - Coffee, Shakeo w 1/2 C Kefir whey 
Lunch - 4 oz chicken,  Salad w chia, 1 oz Kefir cheese
Snack - 1 Coffee, 1 oz herbed Brie, 1 flat bread crackers

Turkey Burger and Veggies

Dinner - 6 oz Turkey Burger, 3 seared Scallops, 1/2 each small roasted zuch and squash, 1/2 oz Boars Head 3 pepper cheese, 1/2 oz Boars Head Chipolte Gouda
Snack - 8 oz Kombucha w chia






Noticeable changes 
Body is sore - going to the chiro tomorrow for an adjustment.. - hmm might be dehydrated need to up the water
BP good - high - mid 80's
Cycle cramps and bloat are really bad STILL WTF!!!

Body - cramps and upper back (bra strap area) hurting, tendons, hamstrings and knee are killing me today

Mind - busy and tired

Totals for the day - 1,316 Cal 81 Carb 65 Fat 113 Prot 21 Fiber 80 oz H2O
Link data -  2678 Cal burned, 3 min moderate activity, 4554 steps, 7:22 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  oil pulled, stretches,

Goals not met for the day -  went over 1300 cals, no 100+ oz H2O, smoked 9 cigs, no 5000+ steps, no 30 min activity, 3 oz cheese (2 full fat, 1 Kefir)

I was a little bit of a mess again today!! Didn't hit many of my goals... Tomorrow is a new day!!

New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1, 2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore
Week 4 - Post Reset

Post Reset Day 14 (2/25)

Tues Feb 25 - Day 14 post Reset  

Busy day today with work, finding it hard to focus. Thinking about home, missing my Sis, cousin, Mom and home town buddies. But I will see them in May when I go home for a few days. This week just has been hard with the sudden death of a family member. Makes you stop and realize that we are not immortal and we do need to live each day to it's fullest.
I shared this with my 5 closest lady loves today, feel it is appropriate to share here:

"Hello my lady loves.. We've been a bit quiet this week due to the shock of cousin/Aunt --- passing away.. Ohh life can be so short if our bodies aren't taken care of. That makes this group even more important to me!! You 5 are my lady loves and we need to get and stay healthy so we can be around for a very very long time. No sudden deaths at 56..
So I am stepping up my game, I have already started down the path of healthy clean eating, now I need to focus on a daily exercise routine and get off the last few cigs that I can not just stop. I reloaded the quit smoking app and have been tracking again daily - I can't get COPD like --- had. Sunday Chet and I will start a 90 day Tai Cheng exercise challenge and we are committing to exercise at the gym 5 days a week and 2 days we walk around the block twice - or walk to the park or Fresh Market. This sitting on my @$$ in-front of my computer 24x7 throwing my life away for WORK is OVER!! I have 7 nieces and nephews that I want to see graduate, guide toward college, get married, have babies.. etc..

I know you are all really busy with work, the kids, building a house, recovering from surgeries, etc. But take a few minutes and think about your long term goal. Lose XX lbs, get down to XX size, take XX steps a day, plan a dream trip to XX place, come to NC to visit me .. Once you have your long term goals set, start thinking about what small milestones can help you get there.

My Big Goals - Get back down to a 12/14 and maintain (no more YO-YO), go scuba diving this year, plan a big Italy trip for spring next year, plan the bone lengthening/straightening surgery for Spring 2015! - Guess I can use all the equipment the Moms have already

My Short term Goals - As you guys know I started my lil fitness challenge with my friend on Dec 2, the Monday after Thanksgiving. My eye was on a 50 lb weight loss.. well 57 to be exact. I'm almost there.. Next short term is another 50 lbs

Milestones - STOP drinking WINE, eliminate nitrates, reduce cheese intake, remove thyroid aggravating foods and substances, get up and move more, stretch and exercise, physical therapy/acupuncture on my knee."

I know.. deep  right.. Haaa.. :) Well, that is my story and my plan. Writing this blog - even if no one reads it, is really helping me stay on track and keep up my motivation.

Ok back to my day..
Right before lunch I vacuum sealed up the chicken I cooked yesterday and made another Kefir cheese. Can't wait for Sis to try it - think I am becoming a master Kefir cheese maker. Each batch is better than the last. Plus it is much lower in fat than regular cheese with the bonus of all the good bugs :) Now to figure out what to do with all the Whey I have accumulating..

Late day snack took me down today..  I decided to have 1oz of Brie. While I was eating it, I was already planning the next serving. Didn't focus on how wonderful it tasted, I just wanted the next serving. NOT conscious eating.. Must not allow this to become a pattern. It is ok to indulge - but enjoy the indulgence and don't allow it to turn into a binge. - Practice what you preach here babeee!!

Well, guess what.. Made a conscious choice to have yet ANOTHER 2 oz of cheese at dinner. As I was weighing it out, I told Chet I was going to have 1 oz a piece of the cheeses on my turkey burger. 'I am owning this decision, tracking it and OWNING IT!' :)  

Breakfast - Coffee, Shakeo, 1 C Kefir, 
Snack -  1 Coffee
Lunch - 4 oz chicken, 1/4 serving Guacamole, 2oz Pickled Cauliflower
Snack - 8 oz Kombucha tea, 1 Coffee, 2 oz herbed Brie, 2 flat bread crackers
Dinner - 6 oz Turkey Burger, 3 seared Scallops, 10 Asparagus spears, 1 oz Boars Head 3 pepper cheese, 1 oz Boars Head Chipolte Gouda

Noticeable changes 
YUK DAY!!
BP good - high - mid 80's
Cycle cramps and bloat are really bad

Body - crams and upper back (bra strap area) killing me, knee and feet hurt.

Mind - a bit foggy might need to increase carbs

Totals for the day - 1,545 Cal 91 Carb 79 Fat 130 Prot 17 Fiber 60 oz H2O
Link data -  2819 Cal burned, 4 min moderate activity, 4542 steps, 7:06 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  oil pulled, stretches,

Goals not met for the day -  went over 1300 cals, no 100+ oz H2O, smoked 8 cigs, no 5000+ steps, no 30 min activity, 4 oz cheese

I was a mess today!! Didn't hit many of my goals... Tomorrow is a new day

New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore

Post Reset Day 13 (2/24)

Mon February 24 - Day 13 post Reset

Busy at work today and need to cook up some more chicken for the week. Let the Kefir go a bit to long and now have curds and whey. Those lil buggers are really multiplying - can't wait to start the coconut Kefir. Will make a few batches for kefir 'cheese' as it really is tasty and full with the good flora.

I needed to run up to the store to grab some chicken, cheese cloth etc. While in CVS I happened to see they had the mini bags of Cadbury Mini Eggs (NOT creme eggs). Great marketing.. they were on an end cap in the RX area. So while I was there to pick up my script FAR, FAR away from the candy and junk food, I would just happen upon them. These is my FAVORITE Easter candy. So I bought 4 packages (2 for me, 2 for Chet)! I will open one and have a few when I reach my first BIG goal. But I just couldn't walk away and not grab a few, cuz they will be gone soon.. RIGHT!!.. and we LOVE them.. I did hide them from Chet, so he won't eat them. I do have self control when it comes to sweets, just not cheese :)

Made another small batch of chicken to vacuum seal for the week as I gave a bunch to my sis - She texted me at lunch time that she was eating one of the packs and LOVED IT.. Made me smile, I love when people enjoy my cooking. We ran out of homemade creamy garlic dressing - so made a big batch. I reduced the amt of oil, increased the ACV, lemon juice, Dijon and added Kefir. So good and no soybean oil or preservatives. I have been making my own dressing for years, but generally started with a good seasons packet or ranch packet. This recipe is so much better and WAY less sodium. 2 TBS - 68 cals, 1 carb, 7 fat, 210 sodium.
I didn't get a chance to cut the chicken up and weigh it out, so I'll get to it tomorrow.  Taking the time now to portion out the meals for the week (especially lunch), helps keep us on track, forces portion control and allows cooking week day meals much faster and healthier. I strongly suggest taking the time to prep for the week.
TIP - 1 large breast is generally ~10 - 12 oz once all the fat is trimmed etc. which is almost perfect for Chet's 6 oz and my 4 oz cooked portion.

Salmon, Asp, Roasted veg

Breakfast - Shakeo w Kefir, 1 Coffee
Snack - 1 Coffee
Lunch -  Salad w chia, 3/4 oz Kefir cheese
Snack - 1 Coffee, 1 oz Pickled Cauliflower (first 'processed' food)
Dinner - 5 oz Salmon, 3 seared Scallops, 10 asparagus spears, 1/2 C roasted Sweet potato onion and turnips

Finally got my quit smoking app reloaded on my phone - My plan is to completely quit by April 1. Today I smoked 8 cigs and craved 19 times. I can do this!!

Noticeable changes 
TONS of energy all day
BP good - high - mid 80's
Cramps and bloat

Body - Body temp my 'new' normal COLD, hives/rosacea on lower face/neck and upper arms, tummy cramps - wonder if it's from all the dairy or the good Kefir bacteria, upper back (bra strap area) killing me, knee and feet hurt.

Mind - a bit foggy might need to increase carbs

Totals for the day - 1,198 Cal 102 Carb 50 Fat 89 Prot 18 Fiber 100 oz H2O
Link data -  2867 Cal burned, 3 min moderate activity, 5364 steps, 7:11 hrs/min sleep

Goals met for the day -  ~1200 cals, 100+ oz H2O, oil pulled, stretches, 5,000+ steps, 1 oz cheese

Goals not met for the day -  smoked 8 cigs, no 30 min activity


New to my Blog?
Follow my Ultimate Reset Journey and quest for better health from the early days (1,2 or 3 weeks ago):

Night Before Prep
Week 1 - Days 1 - 7 Reclaim
Week 2 - Days 8 - 14  Detox
Week 3 - Days 15 - 21 Restore