Top 5 Reasons I’m Saying Goodbye To My Microwave

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Four years ago we downsized the size of our microwave. Now I’m wondering if we really need it.

I’m taking a hard look at my kitchen today to see how I can have more prep space to make my deliciously healthy low carb, high fat foods. After removing most jars, canisters, and machines from my counters, I’m now considering giving my microwave the boot.

From cooking Lean Cuisines, instant oatmeal, “baked” potatoes, to warming up leftover pizza or chicken breast, there was a time when the microwave was my kitchen’s workhorse. But now it seems more like a monument to convenience food. Stuff I don’t eat anymore. And that means it’s taking up valuable counter space!

I don’t mean to imply that since eating real foods I’ve stopped using the microwave. I use it to warm up grilled meat, chili, soup or to quickly melt butter or coconut oil. But I can do that using my range. Read More

December Challenge – 24 Hour Fasting

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Water and bone broth are at the ready during today’s 24-hour fast.

After Thanksgiving I took a hard look at my intermittent fasting (IF) schedule. I’ve gotten into the habit of doing a 14-hour fast about 3 times a week. Maybe fasting 5 days a week might help break this plateau? So I started re-reading Dr. Jason Fung’s blog posts on fasting. Sure enough I stumbled upon an important data point that could help me break my stall.

Resetting My Body’s Set Weight
We all have a Body Set Weight (BSW) – a weight your body is comfortable with. During my last physical, my doctor cautioned me that if I wanted to lose more weight I could, but my BSW might be at 185 lbs.

If I was at my BSW and dipped below it, my body compensates by increasing it’s output of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Basically you dip below your BSW your body increases hunger and desire to eat. Your body wants to get back to its set weight.

I have to admit at the time of my physical I thought there was no way 185 was my BSW. I could still see the fat around my belly, thighs and arms. Look, I don’t expect to be super model thin. But I set my sights on 150 lbs. and that’s what I wanted to get to.

Well 8 months later and weighing 185 lbs., I’m starting to believe. Read More

Resetting My Goals: Shooting For Optimal Health

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new life

Since I’ve lost 140 lbs. and my doctor told me I was healthy, I needed a new health goal to set my sights on in my march to lose another 30 lbs. My upcoming IVF treatments were key in coming up with this new goal. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and mrpuen.

Despite my procrastinating, I came up with my new health goal fairly quickly the other day. I’m totally committed to optimizing my health to improve my chances of a successful IVF treatment and pregnancy.

Seems sensible. Although I’m not sure what “optimal health” really means.

I spent some quality time researching the definition of optimal health. But there really isn’t one. Because we are all so different, the optimal weight, nutrient levels, BMI, muscle mass, athletic performance, etc. isn’t the same for any one person.

Defining Health
I stumbled across an interesting article over at Paleo Leap on defining optimal health. Basically the article confirmed what I thought. You can’t define it. There are so many variables — weight, BMI, muscle mass, athletic performance, sleep, etc.

As a starting point, the article included a working definition of health I liked:

Health is the mental and physical energy, vitality, and resilience to live joyfully in your own body and face the challenges of your life.

Okay…so how does one live like that all the time? Read More

History of Make-Up: Best & Worst

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The other day I picked up the latest Urban Decay “Naked” eye shadow palette — Smokey. I really sweated over this one because while I love the smokey look, I have no clue how to apply it. But since I’m all about the importance of weight loss makeovers, I need to experiment with different looks to see what works best for me. Sure I’ll screw up, but that’s part of playing around, right?

As I searched online for a “how to” video, I came across Lisa Eldridge’s video on the history of make-up.

Eldridge starts with ancient Egypt and ends with the 21st Century, carefully painting her face to showcase each era while giving viewers a history lesson. It’s awesome and fun, especially learning how views of make up have evolved overtime.

How Dot’s Getting Her Weight Loss Groove Back

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Well after not really trying to lose weight, I'm at 185 lbs. this morning - the same weight I was at my physical earlier in the year. Time to take a look at my goals and refocus my efforts after a 3 month mental break.

Well after not really trying to lose weight, I’m at 185 lbs. this morning – the same weight I was at my physical earlier in the year. Time to take a look at my goals and refocus my efforts after a 3 month mental break.

Well since August I’ve struggled with my push to drop my last 30 pounds. My tracking is spotty at best. Weighing and measuring food? Almost non-existent. How about counting carbs? I keep a mental record, but if I’m not measuring my serving sizes or tracking what I eat, how good can my carb counting be, right?

Yet, I feel fine…and a little guilty.

Time To Re-Think My Goals
As of this morning I weigh 185 lbs. So I’ve lost 4 lbs. since my doctor told me I was healthy and didn’t have to drop anymore pounds.

Now, I don’t believe for a second that my body is at its set point. I think I mentally started coasting once my doctor told me I was healthy and didn’t need to lose any more. After all, I started this adventure in 2012 to get healthy. The weight loss was a great side effect.

But that got me thinking: Do I need to reconsider my goal?

When I shifted my thinking from weight loss to getting healthy, the weight came off. Yes, I track my weight loss on this blog, but the overall goal was health.

Well, I’ve done that. Now what? After my physical, I never asked myself what’s next. I just thought “happiness” is my new goal. Crap!  What does that even mean? I just thought I can drop 30 more pounds and be happier. Why 30? I have no clue. Read More

Next Step In Our IVF Journey – Some Surgery

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Still in the pre-screening stages of our IVF journey, I'm undergoing a hysteroscopy today to remove a polyp. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and adamr.

Still in the pre-screening stages of our IVF journey, I’m undergoing a hysteroscopy today to remove a polyp. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and adamr.

Today I go in for a little surgery — a hysteroscopy – to help my fertility doctor assess the shape of my uterine cavity and remove a polyp.  My doctor discovered the polyp during a mock embryo transfer, which is basically a practice run for the big event. While my doctor was figuring out the best embryo landing place in my uterus, he found the polyp.

As long as the polyp is there, it’s a no-go on implantation.

I’m also experiencing some minor “abnormal” bleeding, which might be caused by the polyp or by the fact I’m now taking birth control pills.

Yep, I need to go on ‘The Pill’ to get pregnant!?! Oh the irony!

Actually I’m on birth control temporarily. Basically the birth control pill is needed to control the timing of my cycle. In the baby-making process, timing is everything.

Today’s Procedure
For today’s procedure my doctor insert a hysteroscope, a narrow fiberoptic camera, into my uterine cavity. Apparently the hysteroscope comes with awesome attachments so my doctor can do specific procedures, like removing that dang polyp.

The better news is that I’m almost done with my pre-screening process to see if I’m a good candidate for IVF treatments.

After today, all that’s left to do is my annual mammogram, a PAP and blood work. So sometime in November we’ll learn if we can move forward with treatments.

Why You Should Ignore The New Dietary Guidelines

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The new federal dietary guidelines are about to come out, but the fight over the bad science used to create them is still raging.

The new federal dietary guidelines are about to come out, but the fight over the bad science used to create them is still raging.

It’s about time.

It seems that every 5 years the federal government rolls out the new dietary guidelines with hardly any criticisms. Sure you’d hear them from the various food special interest groups worried about sales, but very little about whether the recommendations actually work.

How times have changed.

Two articles, in as many days, both from The Washington Post, question the science the US federal government uses in developing the soon to be released 2015 guidelines. Read More

Facelift Friday Fun

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I’ve done lots of before and after photos, but none really focused on how my face changed since going low carb. Wow! I never realized by head was that fat chunky.

facelift friday oct 2What the photo doesn’t capture? How my skin improved after going low carb. No more breakouts or dry, flaky skin. That added bonus: I’m constantly told by family, friends and my doctor that I look much younger. Granted I take what the hubby and friends say with a grain of salt, but not my doctor!

Eating Low Carb To Boost My Fertility

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We've tried for 12 years to have a baby, but no luck. I was completely clueless as to how the recommended low fat diet completely messed up my hormones. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and adamr.

We’ve tried for 12 years to have a baby, but no luck. I was completely clueless as to how the recommended low fat diet completely messed up my hormones. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and adamr.

I’ve tried to write this post many times over the last few weeks. But I just ended up starting at a blank screen for hours at a time. I started this blog to talk about the ups and downs I’d experience on my weight loss journey. Well this is about one of those downs…a big fat down.

So here I am, sitting in a dark corner at Starbucks, tears rolling down my cheeks, desperately muting my sniffles, trying to write this blasted post.

Here goes.

For the last 12 years I’ve struggled with infertility. Read More

Awesome Body Image Message: ‘All About That Bass’

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All About That Bass, Body Image Message

Sure I’m late to the party on this one, but I do love the body image message in “All About That Bass.”

Catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs, I came across this post about the song All About That Bass. I’ve never heard of this song before. As my husband and good friend Elizabeth will attest about me — I’m not very pop culture savvy, especially when it comes to music.

I gave the music a try and found that while I enjoyed the beat, it was the lyrics that hit home with me.

I think I’ve given up on our current culture because it seems so vapid and narcissistic to me. It’s rare you find positive messages, especially on body image. Let’s face it, as much as we love recent ads that focus on women of all shapes, sizes and ages, they are barely a drop in the bucket compared to images of “perfect” looking people in magazines, marketing, product packaging, ads, TV news… Read More