tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84055515539433475882024-03-13T20:48:59.763-07:00Three Resolutions1) Eat healthier 2) Stick to a budget 3) Get and stay organizedShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-48730439674377728922012-05-23T06:06:00.001-07:002012-05-23T09:20:15.717-07:00Yogurt is not my friend anymore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightingaledesignlondon/5953432737/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="M&S Yogurt by Nightingale Design London UK, on Flickr"><img alt="M&S Yogurt" height="320" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6135/5953432737_7750137309.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>One of the many positive aspects of eating Primal is the mindfulness I now have when it comes to food. Because I am eating mostly whole foods with no added ingredients, I know what agrees with me, and I know what doesn't. I now realize that wheat hurts my tummy like nothing else. But over the last few days, I've seen there's a potential new member of the Forbidden Foods club, and it makes me pretty sad.<br />
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Dairy.<br />
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I love dairy. Milk is tasty. I like cheese, ice cream, half and half and yogurt. In fact, Greek yogurt has helped me bridge the gap in my transition from a Standard American Diet to my new way of eating. Most mornings, I've been enjoying a cup of whole-milk yogurt, some almonds, a handful of berries and a teeny drizzle of honey.<br />
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<i>Warning: TMI ahead!</i><br />
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But I've noticed over the last few days that the yogurt, um, wants to make its exit pretty quickly. Any way it can.<br />
<br />
<i>Hey, I warned you!</i><br />
<br />
So I think it's time to leave the yogurt to my hubby and my little boy, and time to stock up on more eggs. I'll see how I do with small amounts of cheese on top of an entree or over my scrambled eggs. And I'm really, REALLY hoping I don't have to give up ice cream anytime soon. I've only been eating it about once a month recently, so I think I can keep it in my diet for now.<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightingaledesignlondon/5953432737/" target="_blank">Nightingale Design London UK</a>/Flickr </i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-89039536032892304402012-05-21T06:09:00.002-07:002012-05-21T11:03:53.386-07:00The cake is a lie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seadam/2747922613/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Birthday cake by 3liz4, on Flickr"><img alt="Birthday cake" height="320" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3053/2747922613_6ac738d36c.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
In my family, we have what we've come to call "birthday season". We celebrate six birthdays from this past weekend up to August 1, including mine and my husband's. Normally, this is lots of fun. It's a seemingly endless parade of presents, Mom's home cooking and nummy birthday cakes.<br />
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I loved birthday cakes. Emphasis on <i>loved</i>. Because now, after about a month of Primal living, birthday cakes have become heartless bitches who seduce me with their buttercream frosting roses and then rip my stomach to shreds.<br />
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Damn you, foul confectionery temptresses! I've become everything I hate!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>My younger sister's birthday is the kickoff of birthday season. She wanted to celebrate at our very favorite bar in Charlotte, VBGB Beer Hall & Garden. It's the kind of place I'd always dreamed about: big selection of beer and cider on tap, giant patio to chill on, good music, a laid-back vibe, and it's dog- and kid-friendly. Seriously, if you live in the Charlotte area, you need to go to this place. Have a giant pretzel (if your stomach can take it) and play giant Jenga and have a good time.<br />
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Things started out great! I had a Crispin hard cider and some of their amazing filet beef kabobs. I was going to splurge on sweet potato fries, but they'd run out by the time we got there. Oh well, my husband shared his potato latkes with me, so I couldn't complain. He had one of their delicious Zweigles' pork brats on a pretzel roll. <br />
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I'd bought my sister a cookie cake, because she said she'd always wanted one but never had one. How can you say no to your little sis when she says that? We all enjoyed a slice, and I happily drank two cherry Cokes with it. Yum.<br />
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I was even a good wifey and let the husband stay out late! I took our son home and put him to bed. Husband came home a few hours later, and he wasn't feeling so hot. Long story short, his stomach was a mess. Mine felt OK, but not great; the cookies and Coke weren't agreeing with me.<br />
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The next day, he was miserable. My husband could barely get out of bed. He forced himself to eat a banana and some rice for lunch, and he drank a ton of water. He couldn't figure out why he felt so bad, because he'd only had a few beers and he didn't feel hungover, just sick.<br />
<br />
Then we put two and two together: The freaking gluten and sugar. That's why we didn't feel good.<br />
<br />
Damn.<br />
<br />
I started to feel better after eating some nice, stomach-friendly banana almond waffles for breakfast and a chicken and spinach salad for lunch. My husband finally started to recover by dinnertime, so we went to my parents' house to celebrate my sister's birthday with them. We ate ribs, a little bit of corn, and I took a spoonful of baked beans. I thought about getting up and making a salad, but I didn't want to be the only one eating one.<br />
<br />
Then came the cake! I cut myself a small sliver and skipped the ice cream. I took a bite, one I'd been looking forward to all week. Target's cakes are pretty good, so I didn't think I'd be disappointed.<br />
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Ick. Terrible. The frosting tasted off and the cake was strange and fake-tasting. I stopped after eating half of my little piece, but I found myself wishing I'd stopped earlier. Then, about 20 minutes later as we left their house, I felt like I was reliving the scene from <i>Aliens </i>when the little one pops out of that guy's stomach (<i>can you tell I've never seen that movie?</i>).<br />
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I held my stomach all the way home, trying not to be sick. I went inside and took a few Maalox and had a big glass of water. It took a few hours to feel normal again.<br />
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So no more store-bought cake for me. It's not worth the pain and suffering. I just hope I can find a decent substitute in 3 weeks for my husband's birthday.<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seadam/2747922613/" target="_blank">3liz4</a>/Flickr </i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-25949977671374508602012-05-18T05:48:00.000-07:002012-05-18T11:19:14.467-07:00Another positive (ladies-only) side effect of Paleo/Primal<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/albertbredenhann/2206358928/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="pms by pixel pro photography south africa, on Flickr"><img alt="pms" height="212" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2225/2206358928_3fc1aef6df.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you have read any of my other posts, you'll realize I'm a woman. I'm 29, so I'm still in my reproductive years. Put two and two together, and you can guess that I have a week out of every month that I <i>reeeeally</i> don't look forward to. Guys (and squeamish women), you can go ahead and stop reading now.<br />
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Ladies, there's more after the jump.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Okay, are they gone? Alright! Let's talk about periods!<br />
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Let me set up the story for you: Last year, I had an IUD placed. There are currently two choices available in America: Paragard and Mirena. I chose Paragard because it was cheap (my insurance covered it 100%), it lasts a long time (10 years), and it doesn't have hormones like Mirena. Considering the reason I wanted an IUD is because the hormones in my pills were making me moody and tired, Paragard was a no-brainer.<br />
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My OB-GYN warned me that due to the fact that Paragard is made of copper, my periods might be heavier and I might have more cramping for a few months, just until my body got used to it being there. I smiled and nodded, thinking I'd just have to spend a little more time with Mr. Heating Pad and I'd be fine.<br />
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Well, no.<br />
<br />
I was in SO. MUCH. PAIN. It felt like someone wearing golf cleats was stepping on my back. I actually had to buy "ultra" tampons. I didn't even know they freaking made "ultra" tampons. I had to wear "overnight" pads for the first time in my life. I popped Midol like nobody's business just to get through the day, and I felt a little anemic by the time everything was over. Luckily, my cycle's on the long side and I only had to deal with this every 5 weeks. No fun.<br />
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When my husband and I first started discussing going Paleo/Primal, I read a lot of testimonials. I was inspired by the stories of weight loss, more energy, better skin and a more positive attitude. But in one or two women's stories, I read about something else that really appealed to me: lighter periods with less cramping! What? Sign me up!<br />
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I didn't know for sure whether I'd experience those positive effects when Aunt Flow came to town, but I sure hoped they did. Well, my monthly visitor showed up the day before yesterday, and let me tell you, it's true!<br />
<br />
I had some cramping the day before, but nothing like I've experienced in the past year. They were uncomfortable more than anything. The day it started, I had to take one dose of Midol. That's it. My flow is also lighter, too. No need for "ultra" tampons or overnight pads. <br />
<br />
I haven't been nearly as cranky as I usually am. I was a little snippy, but it was easier to dial it back and regain control of my emotions. I'm sure my husband and son appreciate that. And while I was previously exhausted all day long during my time of the month, yesterday I had tons of energy. I took the dog and the baby for a walk, I ran errands, we played outside, and I felt great. I finally pooped out after making dinner, but that was pretty good, in my opinion.<br />
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And let's not forget the PMS cravings! I used to know when my period was going to start because I would get really pissy and demand a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's. That was the ONLY day each month that I craved one.<br />
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This month? I had <i>one </i>piece of Dove dark chocolate last night and the night before. That's it. I haven't been eating sweets much otherwise, so I gave in, and I was happy with one tiny square of chocolate.<br />
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It's things like this that convince me Paleo is really how we <i>should </i>be eating. Think of our ancestors. A hunter-gatherer woman would've been at a huge disadvantage every month if she was in excruciating pain for 5 days and bleeding everywhere (sorry for the mental image). She couldn't stay in bed with a heating pad and a bag of pretzel M&M's and cry. She had to keep her kids safe, she had to find food, she had to travel with her tribe. Why would evolution make women suffer for a total of about 2 months every year? It doesn't make sense.<br />
<br />
Yes, I am aware the cramps are caused by the uterus contracting to shed its lining. I understand the physiology of a woman's reproductive organs. But the excessive symptoms most modern women experience? I think in many cases (not all), eating like a cavewoman could prevent them. Score one for Paleo!<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/albertbredenhann/2206358928/" target="_blank">pixel pro photography south africa</a>/Flickr </i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-49093207838233344692012-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:002012-05-17T06:27:50.072-07:00Paleo Strawberry Paletas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaPB6210jEZCJlCUedjjgz-Vhezy-7vJ6qKdvpo6tPqRbpZdpdf0cDoYg2kcZAYUEqwVML83bleBN11fdWdv6Jhf-I4XSmPPpiuOo3sPKSYpjTMbp9Nl06O4VsDTbH1q4Tda6qjpfRubm/s1600/IMG_0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaPB6210jEZCJlCUedjjgz-Vhezy-7vJ6qKdvpo6tPqRbpZdpdf0cDoYg2kcZAYUEqwVML83bleBN11fdWdv6Jhf-I4XSmPPpiuOo3sPKSYpjTMbp9Nl06O4VsDTbH1q4Tda6qjpfRubm/s200/IMG_0624.JPG" width="110" /></a>It's the middle of spring here in NC, which means it's strawberry and blueberry season! There is seriously nothing like locally grown fruit. Growing up, I thought strawberries were <i>meh </i>and blueberries were <i>gross</i>. That's because the ones my mom bought were from California, and they'd been bred to survive the long cross-country journey. Bland, pale and boring. Yuck.<br />
<br />
But then I moved to North Carolina. I didn't even know they grew berries here.<br />
These local berries? Holy crap! So good!<br />
<br />
Last Saturday, I went to the <a href="http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/charlotte/" target="_blank">Charlotte Farmers Market</a>, like I do most weekends. Farmers come from all over the state to sell their stuff, and I love to take advantage. I bought a gallon of strawberries for $10. That's about $2.50 a pound, which is comparable to the best deal at the supermarket. But these are no supermarket strawberries!<br />
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Look at all the deliciousness. Red, ripe, and bursting with juicy goodness. Amazeballs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZIsriipc3nHUQUSpWguH0Wcq_rSDNwYlWxDcHi0umcPXFwUpxEEFYq1OStwkPbT_6r2uyHXdvIv1-VjQxLh2dd_QAXzrm9guYW5A76gClKY_sO4EGDdSKZhq9Od2tavm9a1dy99-X3_M/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZIsriipc3nHUQUSpWguH0Wcq_rSDNwYlWxDcHi0umcPXFwUpxEEFYq1OStwkPbT_6r2uyHXdvIv1-VjQxLh2dd_QAXzrm9guYW5A76gClKY_sO4EGDdSKZhq9Od2tavm9a1dy99-X3_M/s320/IMG_0604.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For those of you who are unfamiliar, paletas are Latin American popsicles made from fresh fruit. They usually contain a lot of sugar, but these are made with honey. These are a nice after-dinner treat on a warm spring or summer evening.<br />
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Here are the ingredients:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-Rkk3RhJ6CfWTwKnQxETFxAn9yumEzWqz58r5dS7k4_F7xxVqTOEWl6ryXw9YFGH3OnZd7AFea-aQYjmV54uj8NKvdnl9huov46SI9zUmwgiW5DFLxZBymtEeONwsWNrmhVDcnTtbytp/s1600/IMG_0610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-Rkk3RhJ6CfWTwKnQxETFxAn9yumEzWqz58r5dS7k4_F7xxVqTOEWl6ryXw9YFGH3OnZd7AFea-aQYjmV54uj8NKvdnl9huov46SI9zUmwgiW5DFLxZBymtEeONwsWNrmhVDcnTtbytp/s320/IMG_0610.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rinse and hull your strawberries and put them in your BLENDER. Ignore the pot in the next photo, please. I thought I was going to do this differently. I was wrong, but I was not about to stage this all over again.<br />
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Pause to take a picture while toddler eats a few of the strawberries. Offer to make him a bowl of his own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFgs_JQMB41cTCsm8jivSdcL3zmHDrCzyR9YgHXwYCSL_a0_5ebDhuAkxBITsmaLIcHremg-bwyJTkwhM0lJ5K8qc8lTKmdymAO1qabBbI7zJ-tWIAfc0pLibj2dDblgOHg7APrBkkahi/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFgs_JQMB41cTCsm8jivSdcL3zmHDrCzyR9YgHXwYCSL_a0_5ebDhuAkxBITsmaLIcHremg-bwyJTkwhM0lJ5K8qc8lTKmdymAO1qabBbI7zJ-tWIAfc0pLibj2dDblgOHg7APrBkkahi/s320/IMG_0613.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Add the honey, lemon and water and blend. Pour into popsicle molds. I got these from IKEA for $1.99, but I've seen them everywhere for next to nothing. <br />
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Place in freezer. Console crying toddler who thought he was going to get a popsicle NOW.<br />
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Notice there's some mix left over! Pour some in a sippy cup to bribe toddler with.<br />
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After toddler refuses it and storms off, sigh deeply and make a juice glass for yourself. Add Malibu passion fruit rum (optional). Wipe the honey off your camera and enjoy your tiny daquiri.<br />
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I knew my little one loved these when they were made with sugar, but would he like the honey variation? He had one for dessert tonight. He was happily nomming on it and making lots of approving "mmmm" noises. I asked him if I could have a taste.<br />
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He stopped and looked at me. "No, Mama. Baby strawberry pop. Baby taste." And without missing a beat, he went back to scarfing it down.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Strawberry Paletas</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>makes 6-8 popsicles</b></span><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
- 4 cups (approx 1 lb.) fresh strawberries, hulled and rinsed<br />
- 1/4-1/3 cup honey (add more if you want it sweeter, add less if your strawberries are super ripe)<br />
- 1/2 cup water<br />
- Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)<br />
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Pour strawberries, honey, water and lemon juice into blender. Puree until desired consistency is reached. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 5 hours. When removing the popsicles from the mold, run the mold under warm water for a few seconds. The pops will slide out easily. <br />
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Other flavor variations:<br />
- Blueberry<br />
- Blackberry<br />
- Banana (great for those overripe organic bananas that are ALWAYS on the discounted produce rack)<br />
- Mango-chili (add 1/4 tsp of chili powder to the mix, probably best for grown-ups)<br />
- PineappleShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-72976790447426630682012-05-16T05:20:00.001-07:002012-05-16T05:37:39.034-07:00Kitchen timers, 2-year-olds and getting stuff done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you have (or have had) a toddler, you'll know that there are times they can be VERY demanding. These times are known as "waking hours". For example, my son will ask me to play a game with him, usually peek-a-boo or tag, and he will throw a fit if I say no. Never mind I'm probably saying no because I'm elbow-deep in dirty dishes or trying to use the bathroom. <br />
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I've worked out a great compromise with him. Like all good <a href="http://www.flylady.net/" target="_blank">Flybabies</a>, I love my timer. I don't have the officially sanctioned <a href="http://shop.flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_UTimer.asp" target="_blank">FlyLady timer</a>, but I have Old Reliable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm0uCEtb7YQPPbFp_gg8gn6mz8gULVl1hjBXdwPHrR9OCvUgHczRvsmo2wQqyU2Bx4R-_Q28LW2JuJjjUfWQa3ZYfngLzg_3rhQt2vP6j-qWmx8gICkzCdtK6WcBsCDKyvIyiuOrzvWJ0/s1600/IMG_0621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm0uCEtb7YQPPbFp_gg8gn6mz8gULVl1hjBXdwPHrR9OCvUgHczRvsmo2wQqyU2Bx4R-_Q28LW2JuJjjUfWQa3ZYfngLzg_3rhQt2vP6j-qWmx8gICkzCdtK6WcBsCDKyvIyiuOrzvWJ0/s320/IMG_0621.JPG" width="320" /></a>Old Reliable is our kitchen timer/thermometer that we've had since we got married 7 years ago. I use this sucker for everything. The little screen is supposed to stand upright, but it got knocked off the fridge a few too many times and now it will only lay flat. It still works, it's noisy and the alarm stops automatically after a minute, so that's why I love it.<br />
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Anyway, how I tame my toddler with my timer:<br />
- I set the timer for 15-20 minutes. I know he can play by himself for this long without complaining.<br />
- I explain that Mommy has to do laundry/vacuum/work on the computer/make phone calls/etc. until the timer beeps. After that, Mommy can play!<br />
- When the timer beeps, I keep my promise. I sit down and play with him. He has my full attention unless there's a phone call, someone at the door, or the dog has to go out.<br />
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If he's absorbed in what he's doing and doesn't want my attention when the timer goes off, I leave him alone. My big overall goal for him (and any subsequent kids we have) is to be as self-sufficient as possible. This includes keeping himself entertained. He's also learning that I'm not just here to serve him, but that I have other responsibilities. Of course, if he needs a new diaper or he has a little injury, I stop and help him. I hope to teach him that "needs" are addressed quickly, but "wants" sometimes have to wait.<br />
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If I have a lot of cleaning to do (<a href="http://www.flylady.net/d/br/2012/05/14/what-is-weekly-home-blessing-hour/" target="_blank">like on Mondays</a>) or a massive to-do list, I tell him I'm setting the timer for 40 minutes of playtime, and then I have to get back to work. Once the timer beeps, I get up and reset the timer for 20 minutes, then work while he plays.<br />
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When I do this, I am a lot more efficient around the house. I clean as quickly as I can for 20 minutes, then I get to have fun. If I do this 6 times, I've spent 2 hours out of my day cleaning! I would've never thought that possible with a 2-year-old, but when you break it into smaller chunks, it's easy. It's also easier to focus on him during playtime, since I know I'll get to my next round of tasks when the timer goes off. I can really let go and enjoy pushing Hot Wheels around on the living room rug and "eating" whatever he comes up with in his play kitchen.<br />
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I'm a lot happier when I use my timer. My home doesn't look (as much) like FEMA needs to make a visit and my little boy has fun, stress-free playtime with me. Win-win for both of us.<br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-85403675497929225752012-05-15T05:34:00.000-07:002012-05-15T05:35:27.923-07:00Food for Thought: The Ethics of Eating Meat<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10126935@N05/3785054788/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Grazing Cows by lamcopphis, on Flickr"><img alt="Grazing Cows" height="240" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3444/3785054788_3a8a00dc62.jpg" width="320" /></a>The New York Times Magazine recently held an essay contest, asking its readers to tell them why it was ethical to eat meat. Entries were received, they were narrowed down to the six <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/20/magazine/ethics-eating-meat.html" target="_blank">finalists</a>, and a winner was chosen by a panel of judges, including authors <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AMark+Bittman&keywords=Mark+Bittman&ie=UTF8&qid=1337084353&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B000APUJB0" target="_blank">Mark Bittman</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AJonathan+Safran+Foer&keywords=Jonathan+Safran+Foer&ie=UTF8&qid=1337084427&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B001IGLMTI" target="_blank">Jonathan Safran Foer</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3AMichael+Pollan&keywords=Michael+Pollan&ie=UTF8&qid=1337084515&sr=1-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B000AQ74HQ" target="_blank">Michael Pollan</a>.<br />
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The winning piece, entitled "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/magazine/the-ethicist-contest-winner-give-thanks-for-meat.html?_r=1" target="_blank">Give Thanks for Meat</a>" and written by Jay Bost, argues that when animals are raised and slaughtered humanely, our eating habits become more compatible with the natural order. It's a part of the "circle of life", to put it simply. Treat animals with as much kindness and respect as possible and you're doing OK.<br />
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I agree with that standpoint, as do many people who follow a Paleo/Primal lifestyle. I don't like how animals are treated in factory farms. Not a month goes by without reports of mad cow disease breaking out somewhere, or exposes of chickens and pigs being tortured and neglected. I get very pset when I hear these stories, and there have been times I've thought of becoming a vegetarian because of them. But I really do believe that humans are meant to be omnivores, and aside from that, I like meat A LOT.<br />
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Humane, sustainable raising of livestock works for me. If the animals are treated well throughout their life, right up until the end, it's the best practice for feeding large groups of people. It also makes sense that it would be the least damaging to our ecosystem as a whole, which we all need to be mindful of.<br />
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I read the other entries, including the cuckoo crazy-pants submission by one of the founders of PETA. She stated that she could happily eat meat again now that they can grow it in test tubes. I can't even begin to imagine what could be wrong with lab-created meat. Could it cause cancer? Would food scientists manipulate the DNA and do freaky stuff to it? That crap seems like Frankenfood at its finest, and I'm trying to avoid that like the plague.<br />
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I also read the comments. My husband says the #1 rule of the Internet is, "Don't read the comments." But to me, they're like a derailed train or a bus crash. It's terrible, I can't believe what I'm looking at and it sometimes makes me sick, but I can't look away.<br />
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Here are some of the more interesting points that struck me:<br />
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"Eating meat started from boredom and experimentation that became habit. If we eat dead flesh then we become dead flesh. It is said that humankind was immortal until it began eating the dead. Keeping the brain busy is how you feed the body. Keep it busy and only take fromt his earth what you need." (<i>WTF. Ooookay.</i>)<br />
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"II find it strange that in a county (not so much different to mine) where the meat industry spends millions of dollars promoting the eating of meat, and where is it hard to find restaurants that offer good non-meat options, that people still feel the need to defend meat eating, or rather, to oppose those who choose not to." (<i>Good point. Meat eating is the norm."Defending" eating meat is like "defending" being white, in my mind. You're already the majority, let it go.</i>)<br />
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"I'm not convinced that using animals in any kind of mass production be done ethically on a mass production scale. And given that the current population of planet Earth just hit the 7 billion mark, mass production is a de facto requirement to avoid mass starvation." (<i>True! How can we meet our demands for meat on a global scale? Is it possible for us all to eat humanely-raised animals? You sure as heck can't unless you've got plenty of money as it is. A family on food stamps is not going to be able to buy grass-fed beef and free-range chicken.</i>)<br />
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"Humans are omnivores= meat and vegi eaters (look at your teeth). There is no morality linked to what one eats!!" (<i>An old argument, but pretty valid.</i>)<br />
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"If it is unethical to harm a sentient being then do you own and drive a car? If you do that road you travel on is a waste land and many species cannot cross it. There go an untold number of future generations of sentient beings. But just owning a car defines you as a person with little regard for other life forms anyway considering the damage to the earth that comes from manufacturing a car. Draw the line where? At cute? At furry? At green?" (<i>Hmmmm.</i>)<br />
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Many, many more comments, mostly from people arguing against the piece, but mostly pretty thought-provoking. I was expecting more stupidity, but it is the New York Times Magazine, so I guess that weeds out some of the more deranged commenters.<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10126935@N05/3785054788/" target="_blank">lamcopphis</a>/Flickr</i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-27308186099595539042012-05-12T12:45:00.003-07:002012-05-12T12:46:24.339-07:00Low carb flu, redux<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/url_of_leah/204909442/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="relaxing on my desk...again by HouseObsession, on Flickr"><img alt="relaxing on my desk...again" height="240" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/69/204909442_81140f7cc1.jpg" width="320" /></a>
I already had a bout of the <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/low-carb-flu/" target="_blank">low carb flu</a> when I first started nearly a month ago. But now that we're back from our vacation and I've recommitted to Paleo, it's on again. I am soooooo tired in the early afternoon and I have a hard time focusing and thinking. My sister and I took my son on a picnic at the park and I almost put my head down and dozed off on the picnic table. Getting through this sucks, but at least I have K-Cups on my side. I know from the last time that a cup of coffee will put me right, and I won't need it once I get back into the swing of things. I know not everyone thinks much of caffeine, but coffee is my dark mistress and I don't see us breaking up anytime soon. It's a dramatic improvement from this time last year, when I drank 2 cups in the morning, 2 or 3 cans of Cherry Coke during the day and sweet tea at least a few times a week.<br />
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<b>You know what's motivating? Losing some baby weight!</b><br />
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As I've said before, if your baby is 2 1/2, I don't know if it can still be called baby weight. But just for the sake of argument, let's say it is. Either way, I am down under 160 lbs. for the first time in at least 3 years. I was 5'4" and 155 lbs. before I got pregnant, and the only food I could keep down in my first trimester was banana fudge milkshakes from <a href="http://www.cookoutnc.com/" target="_blank">Cook Out</a>. So...yeah. And then after he was born, I had a pretty serious case of PPD and had to be on Zoloft for about 9 months. I might fluctuate a little here and there, but the scale never dipped below 164. So now I've lost 5 pounds! In less than a month! Including a vacation with free pina coladas! Hooray!<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/url_of_leah/204909442/" target="_blank">HouseObsession</a>/flickr </i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-15780646420939009422012-05-09T07:54:00.001-07:002012-05-09T07:54:13.188-07:00Paleo on the Road<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/durhamskywriter/3887728403/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="highway signs by durhamskywriter, on Flickr"><img alt="highway signs" height="215" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3493/3887728403_b65db67f3b.jpg" width="320" /></a>So we're back from our vacation, a 14-hour drive each way. When you're on the road that long, you need to eat. I packed a few things, but I didn't anticipate 1) not having enough or 2) getting bored with the same foods. I started with a few cans of raw almonds and mixed nuts. Yummy, but high in calories, and eating the same thing gets old. I never got to the kale chips because I didn't want to stink up the car. Here are some options I found at the gas stations we hit along the way. For the most options, stop at a "higher end" convenience store like Race Way, Sheetz, Wawa or 7 Eleven. These chains carry a wider variety of snacking choices.<br />
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<b>Hard-boiled eggs</b><br />
These usually come in a 2-pack. Not necessarily as tasty as homemade, but what is at a gas station?<br />
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<b>Seeds and nuts</b><br />
You can almost always find small packages of salted cashews and sunflower seeds. I managed to find a big bag of pumpkin seeds for less than $2 at one stop. They were something different, they're full of protein, fat and essential minerals, and the bag lasted me for most of my trip. It never hurts to look and see what's there. Always check the label and make sure there's no sugar or any artificial ingredients.<br />
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<b>Beef Jerky</b><br />
This will work in a pinch. It contains sugar and (usually) soy sauce, but if you've got to eat, you've got to eat. Read the labels first. Jack Link's, which was once my favorite brand, has a lot of no-no ingredients. Oberto is made without artificial ingredients. Use your best judgment.<br />
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<b>Coffee</b><br />
If you're driving this long, you're probably going to get tired. We used to grab cans of Red Bull or Rockstar, but I was much happier this trip with a nice cup of coffee and some whole milk. I still put a little sugar in it, but I am taking baby steps with this and cutting back gradually.<br />
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<b>Fresh fruit and vegetables</b><br />
Almost any better gas station will have apples, bananas and/or oranges available. In addition, I've also seen apple slices and baby carrots in the coolers.<br />
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Next time, I'm going to try to plan ahead and visit Amazon or a website like <a href="http://paleofoodmall.com/" target="_blank">Paleo Food Mall </a>and buy some stuff in advance. I didn't have that luxury on this trip, unfortunately.<br />
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<i>Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/durhamskywriter/3887728403/" target="_blank">durhamskywriter</a>/Flickr </i>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-9497504295334704442012-04-27T10:57:00.003-07:002012-04-27T10:58:21.125-07:00Baked Kale ChipsSo as we get ready to leave, we're trying to use up what's in our fridge. We're taking along some clementines, apples, pineapple chunks and mangoes. But last week, I bought a big bag of kale at BJ's ($1.99, can't beat that) for the purpose of making baked kale chips. I've seen several recipes for them, calling for varying oils and seasonings. I decided to stick to the basics.<br />
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I tried two different recipes:<br />
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<a href="http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2648091289/whole30-compliant-diy-snacks-baked-kale-chips">Nom Nom Paleo's Baked Kale Chips </a><br />
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<a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/">Smitten Kitchen's Baked Kale Chips</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTkvrZyCIMJIaNIe_NcG5aKn0Sz98J5LMpIFBnscayY6-41L4PUruAk_CSOqlfaoCTR4KWlRVyRo9VongFj7ULN45Ct9taQTvMPldsTf814uWNbAbmAUaUrYvVYCNrhl6gUSXyYzJhOpX/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTkvrZyCIMJIaNIe_NcG5aKn0Sz98J5LMpIFBnscayY6-41L4PUruAk_CSOqlfaoCTR4KWlRVyRo9VongFj7ULN45Ct9taQTvMPldsTf814uWNbAbmAUaUrYvVYCNrhl6gUSXyYzJhOpX/s320/IMG_0469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kale, sea salt, avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil, ready to go.</div>
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I made my first batch with Nom Nom Paleo's recipe. They were good, but still pretty green-tasting and a little bitter. No way I could get The Boy to eat them. I told him they were green potato chips and he refused to touch it. He dropped it on the floor and pretended to have his stuffed dog eat it. <br />
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I made the second batch with olive oil. More flavor to the oil, so I figured tastier results.<br />
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Not so. I didn't realize the smoke point of olive oil is 325 degrees. I baked these chips at 350. I had a few finished chips and they tasted like Death's ass. That batch went in the trash.<br />
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I found <a href="http://www.lakewinds.com/store/cooking-oil-temperatures-and-proper-usage-w1147c10528.aspx">this nifty reference</a> on the smoke points of oils online. I think I'll have to keep this one bookmarked. <br />
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I looked at Smitten Kitchen's recipe and turned the oven down to 300 (whoops!) and tried again. This time, I salted one pan, and used a combination of salt and garlic powder on the other.<br />
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Verdict? Meh.The garlic powder made them taste better, but the long cooking time obliterated them. I managed to salvage 2 decent-sized pieces. <br />
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So I went BACK to avocado oil and 350 degrees and tried garlic and salt again. <br />
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Good! A little nutty, kinda veggie and salty with a hint of garlic. I am going to play around with seasonings in future batches but I like these a lot.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-58697547040774955992012-04-26T11:21:00.001-07:002012-04-26T11:22:16.251-07:00Mistakes were made: fast food and PaleoI really have been very happy since changing my diet to Paleo. I wake up feeling refreshed, I get to eat lots of tasty bacon and stuff fried in butter, and I've lost 3 pounds in a week. Wonderful!<br />
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But I decided today was a good day to "cheat", and man, was I wrong.<br />
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Let me give you a little back story: I used to teach special education. When I moved from Florida to North Carolina, I was lucky to be paired up with Roberta. Roberta was my teacher's assistant for 2 1/2 years, from the day I started at my new school to the day I left. She calls me "daughter" and I call her "mom". She is very special to me.<br />
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Naturally, when Roberta's birthday rolled around, I decided to visit her at work. I asked her what she'd like for lunch, and she said Showmars. For those of you who don't live in the greater Charlotte area, Showmars is a local chain of Greek diners, and it is really, really good. I jumped at the chance to have a gyro with some tzaziki sauce. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOkoZb3OzlDu4srnVifyYOTEiWnG6oRT8ZFGFSrw-2DLblJpEgJxfDCWqO2k0iT3k1jQztLPOMOnsN3X2PAxMsUXeOzyOUQRfgU-AEyD1dkIL_PKQ00xA6dva-gCCtNJ1PpIIpAHxs6aR/s320/showmars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOkoZb3OzlDu4srnVifyYOTEiWnG6oRT8ZFGFSrw-2DLblJpEgJxfDCWqO2k0iT3k1jQztLPOMOnsN3X2PAxMsUXeOzyOUQRfgU-AEyD1dkIL_PKQ00xA6dva-gCCtNJ1PpIIpAHxs6aR/s320/showmars.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Mmm, gyros... *insert Homer Simpson salivating noise* </i></div>
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I restrained myself and I had water (instead of their excellent sweet tea) and ordered a fruit cup on the side. I planned to take the meat and veggies off the pita, but when we sat down for lunch, it just looked too good the way it was. I ate it all up, every bite, and I really enjoyed it.<br />
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But then about an hour later, I was driving home and my stomach started to hurt. Then I went inside and when I picked up my little boy, I started to get that gross almost-sick-to-my-stomach sensation. Now I'm sitting in the recliner and writing this, waiting for the stomach pain to go away. On top of that, I'm tired, much more tired than I normally am this time of day. Lesson learned. Time to stay away from bread and avoid eating junk. I think you have to slip up once or twice to see how much better you feel on Paleo.<br />
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Tomorrow we're going on our vacation. We're driving 8 hours tomorrow and 8 more the next day, then doing that again in a week and a half. I don't know what we're going to eat while we're on the road. And while I love my in-laws very dearly, they're vegetarians, and finding something for us all to eat while we stay with them is going to be pretty interesting. I'm also afraid that my favorite foods from home (Skyline Chili! Jaxson's Ice Cream!) are not going to go down too well and it bums me out. Time to start looking at fast food allergen info to see what we can eat.<br />
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Did you know Chick-fil-A only has three gluten-free entrees? This is going to be difficult.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-25353330067943484982012-04-25T19:09:00.001-07:002012-04-26T07:39:44.514-07:00Getting rid of a big mess the quick and easy wayI have always been a disorganized perfectionist. It doesn't sound like those two things go together, but they do, more often than you think. I couldn't keep my room clean because I could never get it just right. When I grew up and got married, the same principle applied to my house. I could ignore it for the most part, because I worked full time and tried to keep busy on weekends. But when I got laid off a few years ago, I was suddenly confronted by the reality of my mess.<br />
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I Googled "quick organizing tips" and found <a href="http://flylady.net/">FlyLady</a>. People either love or hate her system, but I love love LOVE it. My house isn't perfect, but I've accepted it never will be, and it's a hell of a lot closer now than it was before.<br />
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Here is one of my big problems, housekeeping-wise. My dining room table.<br />
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Scary, isn't it?<br />
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I decided to tackle it today and get it cleaned off. Now to look at it, it seems like there's a lot of crap on that table and you might think it took me hours to get it cleaned up. Probably because I got bored and wandered off in the middle of the job a few times. <br />
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But guess what? That didn't happen! I used the 27 Fling Boogie principle to get it done.<br />
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The 27 Fling Boogie is one of FlyLady's little housecleaning games. The name is corny, but the principle is sound: pick a room or area, pick up 27 things and trash them/donate them/put them away. Each "boogie" takes about 5 minutes or less. Here's the progress in pictures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnoqSpa-l94yMXzQNVsE9N1k3KEsWUmpdQmBKF42Z4x35cPDtryVhHEKiItpFiHNp4bHZw6ytSg-azTjIIrfs2j2GjK96sqmZCg42k28VhiQgEfwnbUmw1ZyCZfUDT5GdWwMLWsdgZ4jx/s1600/IMG_0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnoqSpa-l94yMXzQNVsE9N1k3KEsWUmpdQmBKF42Z4x35cPDtryVhHEKiItpFiHNp4bHZw6ytSg-azTjIIrfs2j2GjK96sqmZCg42k28VhiQgEfwnbUmw1ZyCZfUDT5GdWwMLWsdgZ4jx/s320/IMG_0460.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After #1<br />
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After #2<br />
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Number 3<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf88CWuCxEB-37mvrkkXCKH0XgEqxyLnWaJntfHUSCCxWEZJlYRLEQD0wjlIAr3krxSQwfOIlGuDDfrrt9mKeKqeZR1IjLHvaY8kvUOWa2fvUNCxH8qaIwwtV5u6wDZ34hfhF6KvkkWem/s1600/IMG_0463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBf88CWuCxEB-37mvrkkXCKH0XgEqxyLnWaJntfHUSCCxWEZJlYRLEQD0wjlIAr3krxSQwfOIlGuDDfrrt9mKeKqeZR1IjLHvaY8kvUOWa2fvUNCxH8qaIwwtV5u6wDZ34hfhF6KvkkWem/s320/IMG_0463.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Hey, 2 bucks and an Earth Fare gift card! This is paying off!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRaF-Z7J0cfQ6FSaZn8Yv-1Ss25fXnAZgtS9z2MgcIKcusOBhV1swCwTBwxzYyjrdjZR3HmlNFMxdPUo-nWO0qNae_4j_2qCVSrf6plt42Kj9NGsWcFpuejg6iCJcPlfM5hU2nIMHkzrH/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRaF-Z7J0cfQ6FSaZn8Yv-1Ss25fXnAZgtS9z2MgcIKcusOBhV1swCwTBwxzYyjrdjZR3HmlNFMxdPUo-nWO0qNae_4j_2qCVSrf6plt42Kj9NGsWcFpuejg6iCJcPlfM5hU2nIMHkzrH/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2GwRmJbxqVSJoOXzR1o1MFZjT-yJh5JUrU5-w5w6xqra_855HW99BnpVk-H2YU54luA1ST9HSpt_sklwkNJNJ6F4cQhNJGv8j1moI3bVZ_NR2L0gHAkRIG-xIwltkOAEVZGQmabCi7A1/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2GwRmJbxqVSJoOXzR1o1MFZjT-yJh5JUrU5-w5w6xqra_855HW99BnpVk-H2YU54luA1ST9HSpt_sklwkNJNJ6F4cQhNJGv8j1moI3bVZ_NR2L0gHAkRIG-xIwltkOAEVZGQmabCi7A1/s320/IMG_0466.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Number 4<br />
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Number 5<br />
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See, how easy was that? Much more manageable. The big stack in the front is my coupons that I have to still organize, and the back stacks are my bills and other office supplies. I do this all the time now. If my kitchen or bedroom is messy, I find that there's 27 things or less to toss or put away. It's also great because I can get a decent chunk of mess out of the way while my son before my son asks me to play trains with him for the sixth time since breakfast.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-50450819506038345782012-04-24T16:54:00.000-07:002012-04-24T16:55:17.296-07:00First world problems and temptationI was going to write a nice post tonight about how I love how much weight I've already lost and how great I feel and how much energy I have now. All of that is true, but this afternoon went to hell in a handbasket and I had my first real desire to quit.<br />
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Between the Terrible Twos, a surprise dirty diaper at the bookstore that required a trip home, an hour in the sixth circle of Hell (better known as a kid's hair salon), a trip to the store where I came home empty-handed, rush hour traffic and finding my not-quite-right next door neighbor had mowed 1/3rd of my front lawn, I was done. I was ready to call up Papa John's and have a nice greasy pizza and some ice cream, too.<br />
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Luckily, my husband came home a few minutes later. He took the ground beef I'd thawed out and made some yummy hamburger patties, sauteed the spinach in the grease, and nuked a sweet potato for us to share. Crisis averted. I feel better now.<br />
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I was waiting for this to happen, and now I have to figure out some fallback measures for when I'm tired, cranky and stressed out. I have seen some Paleo freezer menus on <a href="http://savingdinnershop.com/menus/freezer-menus/twenty-for-the-freezer/paleo-volume-1/">Saving Dinner</a> that look appealing, but I don't have the money to shell out for the download right now. It might be worth it if it helps keep me from running screaming into a Cici's Pizza and falling face-first into the cheese danish dessert pizza the next time I have a crappy afternoon.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-50870608186535549362012-04-23T19:03:00.003-07:002012-04-23T19:05:47.847-07:00Pearsnapples SauceThis morning, I woke up and weighed myself. I was so excited! I've lost 2 pounds since starting Paleo a week ago. And my jeans are falling off my butt all the time already. If that's not enough motivation for me to keep going, I also woke up on my own, feeling refreshed. I have a 2 1/2 year old. Anyone with a toddler has probably forgotten what that feels like. It was great! I went downstairs and spend some time with my husband before he left for work, and I made myself a microwave scrambled egg, some leftover chicken sausage from yesterday's breakfast, a handful of cherry tomatoes and some coffee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXWouzS8PLjiOka8eoq848HZXeCgZmu7aUC1qJ07xW3mehKLgNdnClA9U_zbNr2m6uqgRpkmNyW4d3fUF-aMqgPx-BpvLYO-7yaxZyXXaX3MyTWUP0UGW6OqqSG_s2_FgMtbe7bZwhP1w/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXWouzS8PLjiOka8eoq848HZXeCgZmu7aUC1qJ07xW3mehKLgNdnClA9U_zbNr2m6uqgRpkmNyW4d3fUF-aMqgPx-BpvLYO-7yaxZyXXaX3MyTWUP0UGW6OqqSG_s2_FgMtbe7bZwhP1w/s320/IMG_0448.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Look at my FIU mug. See the paw, feel the claw! Go Panthers! What, no? OK, I'll stop.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFW8iDS-lW5vxQVZCm7GbgKJvGz2rKev9EoIV_TV7B9xtVtzBTsMdwng4KhBS_w-D6zPhme_UFRsOWfME7kNcnla6J7ClKBaHO8Mz3Kz05SNReoggKM2lKMlLTsO_lfDOU9iLQAL7vQcO/s1600/IMG_0450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFW8iDS-lW5vxQVZCm7GbgKJvGz2rKev9EoIV_TV7B9xtVtzBTsMdwng4KhBS_w-D6zPhme_UFRsOWfME7kNcnla6J7ClKBaHO8Mz3Kz05SNReoggKM2lKMlLTsO_lfDOU9iLQAL7vQcO/s320/IMG_0450.JPG" width="320" /></a>Turns out though that the sausages (Johnsonville chicken sausages, apple flavored) aren't Paleo-friendly. Oh well, scratch those off any future shopping lists.<br />
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I also finished up the Crock Pot pear sauce I started last night. When I was at Harris Teeter this weekend, I found a nice big bag of 4 overripe organic Bartlett pears for $1. I started with this recipe from <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/01/homemade-crock-pot-pear-sauce-or-applesauce.html">Money Saving Mom</a>, but when I checked on the pears, they'd pretty much turned to water. I threw in a few Pink Lady apples and let them cook for a few more hours.<br />
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Mash 'em up with a potato masher...There, that's more like it.<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>Pearsnapples Sauce</u></b> <br />
- 4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced<br />
- 3-4 small sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced<br />
- Hearty sprinkling of cinnamon (eyeball it)<br />
- 1 cup water<br />
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Throw fruit, cinnamon and water in a Crock Pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until fruit starts to fall apart. Mash with potato masher until you achieve the consistency you want. Eat warm (yum!) or cold.<br />
<br />I was hoping my son would eat it. He took a taste of it off my finger. He liked it! So I made him his own bowl. Of course, he took 2 bites and asked to get down from the table. Stinking toddlers. I thought it was pretty darn good and so did DH, so more for us then, picky baby!<br />
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I feel like I'm learning to cook all over again on Paleo. I have a pretty nice collection of great cookbooks, but when you throw out the recipes that call for potatoes, bread, rice or milk, you've only got a handful left to choose from. I threw together a Southwestern-style chicken and sweet potato dish. It was yummy, but it needs work before I publish it. Chicken breasts, bacon, sweet potatoes, onions, spices and some jarred salsa stirred in, with avocado on the side.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOw7Go2ouGMbw5IwjSLEUsOWtx1iV_tLBtdxq0FDX1Dv6GF0HVNhDGsKudCRDf5gUhVGj17U9Py7lq2cZ1TBZeq5AqxYP2znPQpL83iprIS6iW5yybP6t19GCsmk8Pz4NSrsYWaUsgzVTs/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOw7Go2ouGMbw5IwjSLEUsOWtx1iV_tLBtdxq0FDX1Dv6GF0HVNhDGsKudCRDf5gUhVGj17U9Py7lq2cZ1TBZeq5AqxYP2znPQpL83iprIS6iW5yybP6t19GCsmk8Pz4NSrsYWaUsgzVTs/s320/IMG_0456.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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DH made it into hash and threw some fried eggs on top:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Dl5U82yHm0mnXU6gLaGMrKWA6BTyijPfeAbNE0hyphenhyphenIFEJaeRY3TvRuPp0ngJeVGBTTe9Rlcbv7b8LHhZCwAChqOTVf2P7ISiCqcXxwLvVG8hzC6-995NHi2mh2XX4jLOJXrYLr_5U2DxJ/s1600/IMG_0455.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Dl5U82yHm0mnXU6gLaGMrKWA6BTyijPfeAbNE0hyphenhyphenIFEJaeRY3TvRuPp0ngJeVGBTTe9Rlcbv7b8LHhZCwAChqOTVf2P7ISiCqcXxwLvVG8hzC6-995NHi2mh2XX4jLOJXrYLr_5U2DxJ/s320/IMG_0455.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Well, back to the drawing board tomorrow. I have to pack for our upcoming road trip, and it will be interesting to see what we can eat when we're away from home. I hope I can post at least a few times while we're gone.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-15788977210676465832012-04-22T18:05:00.001-07:002012-04-22T18:06:47.850-07:00The great Paleo pantry makeoverSo while we've started eating more like cavemen for almost a week, today was finally the day we cleaned out the pantries. Yes, <i>pantries</i>. I have been couponing heavily for about 2 years now, and while I'm no candidate for <i>Extreme Couponers</i>/the insane asylum, I had a pretty sizeable stockpile of non-perishable food. Here are the before pics:<br />
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And after:<br />
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Geez, what a difference! It's pretty scary actually. I had no idea how much processed food we had here, even though I've been trying to get rid of it. I haven't thrown out everything on the "forbidden" list, but I'm close. I am not the type of person who goes cold turkey on anything. Having the little bit of Easter candy and baking supplies stashed away helps me feel like I'm not giving up everything. Right now, I still plan on treating myself to some conventional birthday cake and some cookies once in a blue moon. I may change my mind eventually, because I'm already feeling pretty great. Plus, I had some M&M's the other night and almost threw up. TMI, sorry, but I needed to share. I'm not being sanctimonious, they seriously hurt my stomach A LOT and I needed some Maalox. <br />
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Want to see what I'm tossing out?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKCdOlKP5aQsWJw17iGbHtJQseoTb-Sbb8F-nTPryRc_huqaFKlDokIpGc-VVWORyhGzIfReL_k1OyXaX6MagZGjaM9Mm9KANu71WhykjCp7XliREBaK6f8DriT6FFEhPw8ph_a2gD3VD/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKCdOlKP5aQsWJw17iGbHtJQseoTb-Sbb8F-nTPryRc_huqaFKlDokIpGc-VVWORyhGzIfReL_k1OyXaX6MagZGjaM9Mm9KANu71WhykjCp7XliREBaK6f8DriT6FFEhPw8ph_a2gD3VD/s320/IMG_0447.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And this isn't including what my sister and brother-in-law (newlyweds who needed to go grocery shopping) took, either. I said goodbye to Kashi cereal, granola, panko, rice, spaghetti and a whole bunch of other stuff I would have normally considered healthy foods. (Also, some Kraft mac and cheese and a bunch of cake mix and frosting, but <i>shh!</i> already)<br />
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I am going to donate the rest of the baking supplies to the home ec teacher at the school I used to teach at, and the rest to the food pantry around the corner from my house. Now, some holier-than-thou food types will say that I should pitch this stuff and let it rot in a landfill, but I heartily disagree. Even though I don't want to eat those foods anymore, it's still FOOD, and there are people with NO FOOD who would love to have it. If we were in a position where we needed help from a food pantry, I would take anything I could that would fill us up and provide some nutrition. Changing what we give to those in need is a public policy issue that I'm not getting into right now.<br />
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My grocery list is getting smaller, too. It's Super Doubles at Harris Teeter this week, and my list was super teeny-tiny. It was like a joke list.<br />
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<i>Bananas? Kleenex? Nuts? Seriously, that's it? </i>Yes, seriously. And I bought only one bag of Alexia fries because I found out they have sugar and some other stuff in them that we're not supposed to be eating anymore. Sheesh. I did buy a bunch of produce at Trader Joe's and BJ's a few days ago, and with the meat I have in the freezer, that should round things out.<br />
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And I'm always thinking about food now. I think it's just the adjustment phase. It's like going on vacation or moving to a new country. My eating habits and pantry have been turned upside down and I need to adjust. Tomorrow, I'll post a few yummy recipes I've found so far.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-61643804227374737412012-04-21T11:35:00.001-07:002012-04-21T11:38:39.614-07:00Starting overOkay, no one is reading this blog except me, but in case anyone decides to, I figured I should explain why I haven't posted in almost 4 months.<br />
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I'm lazy. There, that was easy.<br />
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However, now I have some new inspiration, and I think I finally have something to talk about on a regular basis. <br />
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I am going Paleo, and I want to document the changes I've made in my life and hopefully help out anyone looking to do it, too.<br />
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In 2009, when I was 8 months pregnant with my son, my husband was diagnosed with relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis. We had been worried about that possibility for about a year and a half, when he started having terrible weakness, fatigue and spasticity. He's been doing well so far: he's had a few relapses but no permanent damage, his disease-modifying drug is working pretty well, and overall he's in good health. But the drugs give him terrible indigestion and reflux, and he's still tired all the time and gets fatigued easily. And when I say fatigued, I don't mean, "Man, I shouldn't have walked that extra 1/4 mile on my walk" fatigue. I mean, "Oh my God, I've been up for 48 hours and run a marathon in that time frame, and now I have to go mow the freaking lawn, too" fatigue. That is MS fatigue.<br />
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So diligently researching MS treatments, we had heard about paleo and low-carb and inflammation before. We had let it go in one ear and out the other. But finally, it came down to my husband talking about dropping his prescription because he couldn't take the acid reflux anymore. A drug that's kept him healthy for the last 2 years. A drug that we are (luckily) not paying for, which would have to be substituted for a drug that costs $4000. A. MONTH. A drug that he'd been on previously, which required me to give him a shot every week (he hates needles) and forced him to lie in bed with flu-like symptoms for the next 24 hours. Not a good option.<br />
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That's when I heard about <a href="http://www.terrywahls.com/">Terry Wahls</a> and the amazing results she's had from going Paleo (there's a lot more to it than that, but that's the gist). She went from a wheelchair to riding her bike to work again, all in the span of a year. We talked it over, and though we're not expecting miracles, we figure there's nothing to lose in taking better care of ourselves. We are on day 5 of our personal Paleo challenge, and already his stomach is calmer and he's got more energy.<br />
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But you may ask, "What about you, Shannon? Why are you doing it?" Well, I have 3 big reasons:<br />
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1) My goal this year was to eat better anyway.<br />
2) I want to support my husband. Making a dramatic change in your lifestyle is never easy. Plus, I don't want to cook 2 meals every night. I'm lazy, remember?<br />
3) Other people's testimonials! Read <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/category/success-story-summaries/#axzz1sfr2Kpqx">Mark's Daily Apple</a> for some inspiration. I couldn't get over how many people are feeling (and looking better) after doing this. It's really, truly amazing.<br />
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I have been stuck at about 164 pounds since my son was born 2 1/2 years ago. I have done Weight Watchers, counted calories, and tried to eat a balanced diet. Know how much weight I lost? 3 pounds each time, maybe, and I always gain it back. I am ready to make a real change in my life.<br />
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Want to come with me?Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-75400676162327678002012-01-01T18:35:00.000-08:002012-01-01T19:00:38.179-08:00January 1stOkay, so today is the day that EVERYONE is going hard on their resolutions and getting their butts back in the gym, eating Special K for breakfast and organizing their sock drawers. I am not exempt. I started out my day by pouring myself a nice big bowl of Quaker Oatmeal Squares. After counting calories on and off for the last several years, I get all excited over having permission from the Nutrition Facts to eat AN ENTIRE CUP of cereal. *woo hoo* I even had a BANANA! I am doing good.<br />
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I was a good girl and ate my breakfast without reading the paper or checking Facebook so my brain would register that I was eating, as the whole mindful eating theory goes. But because I have a 2-year-old, I have to pause every 15 seconds to tell him to stop making a mess with his cereal, to stop bugging the dog, to leave Daddy alone because he has a headache, and no, he can't have a sip of my coffee. Gah, I seriously cringe when I think of what that kid could do with some caffeine in him. It would not be pretty.<br />
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After an hour, I was hungry again. Dang. I ate my leftover scallion chicken and fried rice. Dang again.<br />
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And then after doing last night's dishes (we had friends over for New Year's Eve), I shined my sink. It's exactly what it sounds like. This is a <a href="http://flylady.net">FlyLady</a> thing, which I know is kinda cryptic and weird if you don't follow her, and I will explain more about it later. But long story short, you are supposed to take a towel or dishcloth or whatever and <i>shine your sink</i>. Simple. Mine has more of a dull sheen today, but whatever.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnicolem/295928006/" title="shiny sink by MNicoleM, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/100/295928006_a860e6f028.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="shiny sink"></a><br />
<i>This is <b>not</b> my sink. It is a shining (ha ha!) example of how it should be. Maybe later. (image <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnicolem/295928006/">MNicoleM</a>/flickr)</i><br />
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Husband and I have to throw out our holiday candy tonight so we can get serious about the healthier eating. He is at Wendy's right now getting a Frosty for both of us. This does not bode well.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-52457189182314933072011-12-20T06:34:00.000-08:002011-12-20T06:34:04.678-08:00Et tu, sugar?It's 9:30 in the morning, and my stomach hurts. A lot. I know what the problem is, and it makes me sooooo sad. I can't eat sugar like I used to.<br />
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I'm not diabetic or hypoglycemic. I had a physical a few months ago and my blood sugar was just fine. But when I eat Cocoa Pebbles for breakfast, or I have a little too much sugar in my coffee, or I have too big a piece of cake at my sister's graduation party, I feel queasy and my mouth feels greasy. This is rough for someone who answers the question, "If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?" with, "Ice cream."<br />
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I think cutting down on processed foods is really going to help with this. Most of the stuff you buy prepackaged in the store has a ton of added sugar, and if I make something myself, I don't really add much sugar to anything. I can't help but be sad, though. I miss being able to eat a bag of M&M's without a problem, or eating a big piece of cake with buttercream frosting and a scoop of ice cream on the side. This transition's going to be difficult, I can tell already.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-17048779788815480752011-12-09T18:53:00.000-08:002011-12-09T18:53:14.866-08:00It's not January 1st yetYes, this blog is called Three Resolutions, and I fully intend to start these resolutions ON January 1st. But I know one flaw in many of my failed past resolutions: I didn't plan ahead. I said, "I'm going to lose 30 pounds," but I never thought about how. And sure enough, by January 5th, I've given up because I can't figure out how to tackle it and it's all so sudden.<br />
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This is all about psyching myself up. I can eat healthier, stick to a budget and be more organized. For the rest of this month, I'll talk a little bit about how I'm getting myself ready for these big changes, because they are definitely big.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8405551553943347588.post-68923070994153638802011-12-09T18:48:00.000-08:002011-12-09T18:48:03.258-08:00Why this blog existsHi, my name is Shannon. I am 29, I've been married for 6 years, and I have a beautiful 2-year-old son. Like a lot of other people right now, my life is currently in a state of flux. I have been trying to get my shit together for a number of reasons:<br />
- I am going to be 30 in 2012. Anyone over 35 is probably thinking I am blowing that out of proportion, but clearly early onset dementia has set in, because turning 30 is seriously mind-blowing and depressing at the same time, and I know I'm not the only person who feels that way.<br />
- I am still trying to lose my baby weight. Some don't think it's fair to call it baby weight when your baby is old enough to walk, talk and demand a Curious George DVD for the fourth time this afternoon, but here we are, so screw you and pass the cookie dough.<br />
- My husband, The Most Incredible Man in the World, was diagnosed two years ago with Multiple Sclerosis. It's important for him to eat better, lose weight and take care of himself. I want to support him as much as I can.<br />
- I love to shop, whether it's for toys, clothes, stuff for the house or groceries. However, we are now down to one income thanks to the economy, so that's gonna have to stop.<br />
- I am starting an internship as a lactation consultant this winter. I am extremely excited about it, but balancing the work experience with family life and time for myself is going to be difficult, especially since it's been a year and a half since I was last employed, so I am seriously not used to that anymore.<br />
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So, after reflecting on all that good stuff, I realized I want to make three resolutions for 2012: 1) eat a healthier diet, focusing on less processed foods; 2) sticking to a budget; and 3) keeping my environment, my paperwork and my thoughts more organized. These aren't really special resolutions. People make them year after year. But it means a lot to me right now to change my life for the better, and so I am starting Three Resolutions to keep myself accountable. I know that probably a handful of my friends and family members will read this, but I am hoping that blogging about my resolutions will, if nothing else, shame me into keeping them. I'd also like to make this a supportive place for others with the same goals to visit. Instead of tearing down your choices (like so many other lifestyle blogs I've visited do), I want to encourage you to go for what you want. Are you thinking you're getting old for Crunch Berries for breakfast? Are you afraid to open up your credit card statement every month? Do you purposely find excuses to stay away from home because you don't want to sit in the mess? Let's get through it together.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11200567427121011009noreply@blogger.com0