Practical Application 2

Number One

• Coconut oil (read this article if interested in a sampling of benefits) is being used more and more

I've been using coconut oil for six years now, but just recently started applying it after my showers. This morning, since I'm watching the Spud today and he loves me even without makeup, I have put it on my face.

If that doesn't interest you (I am a little slick right now - I'm certain Pup will not kiss me goodbye when he leaves for The Firm - well not my lips anyway) try using it the next time you cook something in a pan. You know - cooking? I'm actually saying this to myself as very little cooking gets done around here - especially during the tax season. 

One of my favorite things to do in a quick pinch is sauté shredded cabbage in coconut oil and pour any saucy thing you were conjuring up on top of the cabbage. Totally delicious substitute for pasta - the devil. Pasta, that is.

Number Two

• Lemon water. I've read several studies lauding the wonders of drinking a glass or mug of warmish lemon water first thing in the morning. Said to help rid the poor, abused liver of toxins and venom. Any help I can give my liver is aces in my book.

It really is refreshing in the morning. I've been cutting up lemons and leaving in the fridge here at home and the fridge at The Firm so I can squeeze them randomly. Hmm . . . doesn't that sound lovely? Being squeezed randomly?

Number Three

• Checking out the Keto way of eating. Click on this article and this article if interested. 

The gist of Keto is to eat dark green leafy vegetables, fatty red meats, chicken with the skin left on, fish, offal (organ meat), eggs, seeds and nuts, full-fat dairy, or anything else you can find rich in nutrition, fat, protein, and fiber.

Recommended fats are olive oil, grass fed butter, and coconut oil.

If you're shuddering and worried about the amount of fat, let me gently remind all of us that this obesity epidemic started when we removed fat from our diets. We replaced the fat with sugar sugar sugar.

All that sugar with no fat to offset its effects played havoc with our insulin responses and has led to all of these thickening bellys, aging skin, and frankly, diabetes.

Do any of you remember what it was like back when the fat-scare first started? I had a family member that strictly took out all fat from her family's diet because she was so frightened of heart disease. My Wasband could hardly look at this person without wincing because her skin started looking strange. It was kinda stretched across her face like dried paper. It didn't look good. And she was a young woman at the time!

I remember quietly keeping fat in my kids diets (whole milk for one), but I totally used margarine. I really regret knuckling under and believing that butter was BAD.

I also remember having a drawn-out argument with my kid's pediatrician about keeping them on whole milk. He said I was setting them up to be fat adults. I just kept repeating that developing brains need fat. I don't even remember how I knew that! I was a total pain in his ass. He did not like me.

I refused to stop giving them eggs as well. He nearly blew a gasket on that one. Oh well. Lots of people don't like me! Heh!

Long story short - now we know that we need this good fat to keep all of our stuff working and more and more docs are believing that sugar feeds cancers! That one blows my mind.

It's not an easy way to eat. I'm struggling with the percentages. It's hard to get the fat in and the carbs down. But I feel fantastic when I do.

Number Four

• The detox bath.

I am trying to squeeze these into my weekly routine. Tub full of beautiful, warm water, 2 cups of epsom salts, 1 cup of baking soda. Soak and relax. Helps with your sleep quality as well.

Practical Application 1

The Night Before

I took a detox bath.

Epsom salts, baking soda, candles, hot water, me.

I know that detoxing can help my immune system and encourage my body to flush out all that is bad - all the toxins I have taken in. We don't have to talk about what type of toxins they were. Do we? blinkblinkblink . . . . Do I appear charming? No? Rats! This is why I need detoxing!

I wash my face and fill the tub at the same time. Dumping in some marvelous-smelling Epsom salts I've had in a lovely glass bin waiting. I dump in some baking soda to alkalize the bath water as well. As the tub fills and steam begins to rise I can smell the salts. Mmmm! I'm loving that!

I hop in and start screeching. It's been a while since I've used the spa tub in our bathroom and filling it has loosened some gunk that has been hiding in the jets. Disgusting! I hop back out and scoop out all that blech and dreck. Hop back in.

I've lit two candles. I've forgotten to turn out the bathroom lights.

Grr

I press down on the spa button to turn on the jets. Nothing. I press again. Nothing.

I call for Pup.

"It smells so good in here! Do you want me to turn out the lights?"

He does. It's nearly pitch black. My two little candles aren't cutting it.

"I can't get the tub to turn on." I show him how I'm pushing the button. He reaches his huge thumb in there and ON goes the tub.

I lay back in the tub. Trying not to think about what else could be floating around in there with me. I don't mean Pup.

I'm to relax for 20 minutes. I look at the clock.

It's been three minutes. Three minutes!

I close my eyes. The lights are damn bright, I think.

I really need to get in here with some Scrubbing Bubbles, I think.

I look at the clock again.

It's been seven minutes.

I shut off my damn mind, lay back again, ignore the bright lights, and make it 15 minutes.

And I have to call Pup to turn off the damn tub.

DETOXED!

~~~~~~~

The Next Morning

I slept hard. It felt hard. My eyes opened up at 7:00 a.m. That's crazy! So late! How do you people get hours of goofing around on the internet completed when you get up so late? I'm winking and nodding.

I slept so hard that I stumbled around for a while getting my bearings. Weaving and bobbing like I was still drunk after a fun night. You know those nights. Don't pretend you don't!

I liked my detox bath. I feel free of chemicals.

Okay - I really don't, but I am suspending belief and imagining those nasty toxins running away from me. With their bags packed. Getting on the train to Toxinville.

Conclusion

I'd do it again. More candles, clean jets, open mind.

The Kickoff

It's Super Bowl Sunday!

I'm kinda excited about seeing Beyonce sing at halftime today. I shouldn't admit that. She is fascinating!

We opted to not have anyone over (just a couple of friends) for the game. Pup is busy with work this time of year and has to hunker down in his office most of the day although he would have been a willing participant.

We had company last weekend and I'm still recovering because I'm . . . I'm . . . oh hell I'll say it. I'm in a down place at the moment.

No damn reason for it. Except I live in Minnesota and it is dark for a good portion of the day and it's been gloomy for days and I might veer towards down times here and there. More here than there at the moment.

I am climbing out from this down place.

My friend Alli McBeal reminded me I have a tanning bed and to get my ass in there for a recharge. She's right! It helps beat the blues since I can't live in Mexico for the entire winter season. Although I swear I will someday. Love you Mexico.

FitFluential plan for the day is a little work, a little working out, some game and commercial watching, and a little cooking.

Here comes the sun.

DietBet

I'm participating in a challenge through my Fitfluential group. Since all of us resolutioners are resolutioning it seemed like a way to jumpstart.

Our challenge is we bet $25 dollars we can lose 4 percent of our bodyweight by a goal date. The winners split the pot.

Why not? I'd waste $25 willy nilly here and there so why not on this? Me?

Check DietBet out and start your own challenge!

~~~~~~~~

I was wandering around yesterday looking for inspiration and found a post by a very motivated guy that talked about blogs that start out hot and heavy and then limp off into . . . I don't know where they go! They just disappear.

Yup.

Gah and oh oh.

I'm allowing January to kick my butt. I'd rather kick it's dark, dreary, cold ass.

Okay.

We went to dinner with daughter Lorenzo the other evening and she was sharing how a friend of hers is going for her training certificate (I think?? Something like this.) and is training Lorenzo and one of Lorenzo's friends. Working them to death. It sounds good!

My friend and fellow blogger tPretty (love you T) has always been the gold-standard for fitness. She puts the rubber on the road always and if she lived by me I would be begging her on a daily basis to train me.

I have another friend that is training for half marathons and mentioned how addicted he has become to running.

This sounds good to me as well. Not becoming addicted to running because that is not my thing, but becoming addicted to fitness and nutrition and bombing the blues.

Bombing the Blues.

Supplements for Complients

Or something?

I take a lot of supplements.

sidebar - holla Vitacost.com!

But I have a hard time taking them. I forget. I procrastinate. I ignore. I gag.

Blech . . .

I want to take them. I have spent money on these bad boys. I have obviously decided I need these. I have millions - well at least dozens - of reasons to take these.

So why don't I?

What do y'all do to take your supplements. Tricks? Tips?

Right now I scoop them all out and plop them into a zipper baggy. Then I tuck it where I am. In my handbag, in my tote bag, on my desk, on the kitchen island, in the bathroom.

Some days I win. Some days they win.

Ideas needed!

When I've had to give pills to George (dog) I cover them with peanut butter. Hmm . . . I may be on to something.

An Ass Like an Apple

I saw one tonight. At the gym. On a guy. An older guy.

Pup pointed him out to me saying, "I don't know how old that guy is, but look at his physique. We need him to be our trainer."

I said, "Let's follow him and you can do everything he does." Pup laughed. But he did press some metal for a few sets. About 100 pounds? I dragged him over to the free weight section as well. We did some arm dips together.

Pup mostly likes to sit on the machines and rest.

I shook hands with that cable and handle thingy that sits in the corner of our gym. Actually, there are two of them. Of course I forget the name. I'll get it and report back.

It has cables and weights and you can customize it for all the upper body muscles you want to make cry.

I think I might be crying tomorrow when I try to lift my arms over my head. That will make me happy!

Looking for Help in All the Right Places

I am in a funk.

I want to post details. I better not post details. Believe me when I say the details are not interesting.

But the funk it leaves behind is. Interesting. Or at the very least, a tool. Learning tool.

I'm kinda puzzling through it this early morning right along with you dear grokker. Or dear mocker. ;)

So, I am pushing through. I think I am? I am! The sugar of yesterday becomes the resolve of today?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was doing some reading this morning about cravings and resolve and depression and how biology affects these seemingly willpower-based behaviors. Kinda amazing how damaged internal systems will spiral our bodies into an even more damaged state. I can see that these things are not a simple fix.

Leptin resistance and adrenal compromise seem to be key in all of this. My insomnia and cravings seem to be only symptoms of a bigger problem. I have flirted with all of this in the past, but have not taken most of it seriously enough. I think it may be serious. You'd think just the insomnia would be incentive enough!

I am researching a local resource to help me as wading through all of this information is a bit overwhelming!

I am looking for the start. It isn't as easy as you'd think.

This plant seems representative in a way today. This is my cat's contribution to the decor. He seems to need some greens!

Fluidity

I wish I didn't have insomnia. I had a handle on it for a minute, but it has slowly geared back up. Blah. Getting up at 2 a.m. is not fun! I did fall asleep in The Big Room (family room), but George (cute doggie) decided as long as I was up that he needed to pee. Damn you George!

I just don't know what else to try.

I am diligently drinking green tea every day. And liking it with lemon. Especially now that it's fall it is nice to have something warm to drink on a cold afternoon. 

The only good thing about being awake at 2 a.m. is I stumbled on an infomertial about the Fluidity Bar. I had forgotten about mine! I bought it a few years back and it is in the basement along with all of my other fitness equipment. I am planning on dragging it back out. They talked endlessly about developing a ballet butt. I want a ballet butt.

Enough.

It's a good time to review!

1. I found an additive for bottled water that might just help Pup and his quest to forgo pop. He is a pop nut and I've seen him glug down a liter in a few gulps. I brought home these little packets specifically made for bottled water. They even had his favorite flavor - fruit punch. Now that I know he likes them I'll get a few boxes to stash here and there. A big roadblock is lunch. He does fast food (I know!) every day and always gets a large pop with his meal. He is going to try bringing a bottle of water with the additive. Yay!
2. I don't get headaches often, but today is one of those days. Really bad. I'm dead tired at 7 o'clock. So I'm watching TiVo and giggling at bad behavior on some of my shows.
3. Supplements! I loaded up a ziploc baggie and promptly forgot about them. I am really bad bad bad about taking them. Hmm . . . I need to brainstorm a better way.
4. I nibbled all day. Peanut butter for breakfast, tomatoes and avocado for lunch along with a slice or two of cheddar cheese and liver pate, broth and some peanuts for dinner, a couple of wonderful haralson apples for snacks. Wow - looking at it written out makes me realize I am really weird.
5. I got my shoes moved in the loft.
6. Mood is in the dumper. Pup and I recently got some biz-related news that isn't good. Selfishly I see it how it affects me. As a good wife I also see how it affects Pup and I feel impotent. Makes my head ache more.

 I'm not sure why I'm sharing, or rather over-sharing, all of this. It's the head. I bet this is some kind of carb-flu. If it is, it won't take long to get over it.

Gah and grr. I hate being down for the count. Tomorrow will be better; it always is!

This graphic has NOTHING to do with this written post. Except that I don't feel good and looking at good butts in Levi jeans always makes me feel better. I can actually remember the first time I realized that I enjoyed looking at boy's asses. I was in the 8th grade, between classes, walking up the stairs behind the boy I had a huge crush on. I described the feeling to my girlfriend as liking the way his shirt tucked into his pants. I was kinda clueless at 13.

No Sugar Tonight

Do y'all remember that song? I just went way back into my vault of good memories. I think I was a wee-girl when I jumped around singing that song. Holy Hannah it was good. I always got baby-girl-boners looking at Burton Cummings. Sigh and ummm . . .

Enough.

Day #1 No Sugar or Grains

1. made it through the morning. Thank you for Stevia. It does not taste like ass as I've been told. Really. I'm not lying. Although sometimes I really crave Splenda even though it will make me grow a third breast if you believe all the hype about its evilness. EVIL SPLENDA. Even more evil than sugar.
2. I love MY scrambled eggs and spinach. I never order them when I go out though. They're always kinda rubbery. But mine are awesome. Is it okay to pat my own back? I could eat them every day. My secret ingredient? Heavy cream. Although I always say the world is a better place with heavy cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. Yes - I love fat. No - it doesn't make you fat.
3.  I am giving up grains as well as mentioned above - this may be harder than the sugar. I do love me some popcorn. Already I'm contemplating Mark Sisson's 80/20 approach. I'm sure I overestimate what 20 percent really means.   :P
4. Carbs are being limited. I don't have a number I'm aiming for, but under 50 per day is the goal. I am tracking my progress with my FitnessPal.com account. I am 'friends' with both of my daughters so we can nudge each other when we see that one of us hasn't been logging in. Although they don't really need any of what I need. If you get my ass drift.
5. I worked five hours today. I work retail and the upside of working retail is it's a physical job. 
6. No gym today. What a wussy. I am working on a doable goal for the gym. I have a tendency to be all or nothing. So let's make it reasonable. I'm thinking three times per week. And I'd like to squeeze in some yoga here at home. I'm as flexible as a coffee table. Heh!
7. I had soup and salad at home tonight. Then I had a snack attack and had a container of sugar-free pudding, Dulce Leche. Now my tummy is talking and talking. No discomfort, but super conversational. TMI much? I knew I shouldn't buy any processed junk.
8. I am finishing up the evening with lemon zinger tea and will head up to my bedroom to move stuff around. You know - shoes and stuff. I hadn't moved my shoes yet and wound up wearing sandal wedgies out on Saturday night. Everyone and their sister had on boots. I am a holdout. I am still wearing my Haviannas and plan to for as long as I can. Winter is long and dreary. I want to take a piece of summer with me.

Yay to the day one. Day one is both depressing and exciting.

Random shot of Brigitte Bardot

Polyester Makes Me Itchy

The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.
~Dave Weinbaum

The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.
~Napoleon Hill

It's never too late. Never too late to start over, never too late to be happy.
~Jane Fonda

So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don't sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.
~Lee Iacocca

Pup and I are going on vacation in January with another couple.

For fun one night while together, the four of us decided that we should get in shape for the trip. From mine and Pup's perspective we KNOW we should get in shape for this trip. We don't want to be the fatties. We want to be the hotties. Well, maybe Pup doesn't really care about being a hotty. I would love to be a hotty.

So we decided to have a little competition. The four of us are going to see who loses the most weight and gets in the best shape. I'm not real certain how we'll discern and select the winner, but I am certain that we have decided that the loser has to wear a leisure suit on the plane to the Dominican Republic.

It will not be me!

It's fall; do you know where your abs are?

Summer

Poutine - eh - damn Canadians

Minnesota State Fair

Now that summer is nearly over it's time to assess.

1. busy summer - yes
2. many less than stellar choices regarding fitness and nutrition - check
3. workout schedule abandoned - check
4. helping parents top priority - check
5. hanging out in cool little/big town - check
6. happy nearly always - check
7. still loving coffee - check
8. managing to fit in some incredibly fun events  - check
9. which included buying a camper - check

Alright! Not so bad.

While going to the fair is a questionable item in the fitness world, it can mark a beginning on the calendar. Fall is considered by many to be a beginning.

• school is starting
• the new Vogue is here (haven't cracked into it yet) - my mailman must hate me
• temps will be falling - yes - eventually
• cleaning - yes - eventually
• organizing fitness schedule

I will eat some Poutine today and a Pronto Pup or two, but I will walk miles and think about the fall plan.

What is your fitness plan for fall?

If I Knew How to Get There . . .

. . . I wouldn't have to ask.

Another one of my phrases I may have heard somewhere, but I don't know where; so I claim it as my own. Yes, it's mine. I gave birth to it. I pushed that out. I need a push-present. A push-present for writing! Brilliant!

The phrase means a lot to me. I believe in lifelong learning. Without it I'd still be thinking that mall-bangs are a good idea. They were never a good idea!

So, along with all the nutritional and health research I do, I've stumbled on a new idea for my chronic insomnia. Seems there is a link with liver problems and insomnia. Una qué sorpresa enorme!

When I was seven years-old I contracted hepatitis.  My memory of the whole event is being told I got sick because I didn't wash my hands thoroughly enough after peeing. I was a weird little kid and nearly washed off my skin thereafter. And having hepatitis compromised my liver a little bit.

When I was 18 years-old I caught mononucleosis. Romantically called "the kissing disease." I was an incredibly healthy young woman and kicked it in about three weeks. I do remember the doctors being a bit surprised. But again, my liver was mentioned as having a few "down" spots. I never really paid much attention.

So I'm doing some reading the other day and, just as a BTW moment in the book, it is thrown out there that liver issues cause insomnia.

Holy Hannah.

I started jumping for joy; which is a bit over-reactive, but insomnia will do that to people! Ha!

I'm beginning a quest to detoxify my liver. I have a bad feeling pinot noir won't be involved. Sad!

Here is the list of things to try so far. The first thing is my diet may be too acidic.

• juice wheat grass (this one makes me want to poke out my eyes with hot sticks)
• green juices (what the hell are these?)
• tissue acidity equals toxicity
• alkaline water in glass bottles
• exercise

I'll report back!

Planet Fitness

Pup and I (my husband) joined a gym nearly three weeks ago. He's a CPA and during his season he is literally sitting in a chair from about 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. I am not even lying.

Not good.

And heaven knows I need to move more and more and more.

I told him on that day that I was finding us a gym and we were going to join. His criteria was it needed to be close to his office or he probably would find excuses to not go. Game on dude! I love challenges.

I started poking around and reading reviews and measuring distances. Planet Fitness stood out for us.

I also found out that there are only two of these franchises in Minnesota and they are both owned by Corey Koskie, former Minnesota Twin. Swoon. Swoon. I have a thing for baseball players. Something about arms and arses . . . oh sorry! I just left for a second.

His business model is to provide a place where new and established gym goers could have a comfortable environment to work out. Their credo is no grunters and no weight throwers. Work out and be respectful.

It's a no-frills gym. Just the basics. All the equipment is nice, the showers and locker rooms are actually very lovely. A tad fancy even. Lots of cardio equipment. Lots of machines, lots of free weights. There is a stretching and yoga area, a circuit training area (much like Curves), cardio area, machine area, and free-weight area.

I haven't had to wade through millions of naked people. That's a plus in my book. For some reason, the last gym I belonged to had all kinds of naked people in the locker rooms. I must be way too American in my prudery and having to ask a chimichanga-baring woman to please excuse me so I can get into my locker and as I'm sitting there pulling off my shoes get stared at by another naked woman - well it was too much for this girl. Made me so uncomfortable! Am I weird? Pup said that wouldn't have bothered him in the least. Ha!

We opted for the premium membership ($20 a month - yup) and discovered that our health insurance (bless you Blue Cross Blue Shield) will cover the monthly if we go three times a week. THREE TIMES A WEEK. Motivation peeps. Motivation.

So far we've been going the three times a week. I am really liking it! In fact we're going this morning before Pup heads off to work (yep, he works Saturdays and Sundays right now! Poor Pup).

Me! Going to the gym on Saturday!

Can you see how buff I'm looking already?

Leptin Reset

I'm a fan of Jack Kruse and have been following his confusing and confounding posts for several months.

I first found him on Paleo Hacks (a great resource for Primal/Paleo information) and now am a devotee. I might not always totally understand how he says what he says, but the more I read and study his stuff, the more it's sinking in. I hope.

I can't explain it all, but he has a protocol I've tried in the past, but gave up way too quickly. Today I am giving it another try.

One of the steps is eating a large protein-filled breakfast within 30 minutes of getting out of bed.

So, of course, I'm having my beloved scrambles with sausage and spinach. Mmmmm!

FitFluential

I  just posted about my new ambassadorship with FitFluential on my other blog. I am EXCITED to begin this partnership with such fun peeps. I'm thinking I better get out of my own way now babies. I'm here and it's happening!

This is today's big-ass breakfast. Still in love with the scrambleds.

I am soon to be heading down to the workout room I affectionately call the dungeon. If you don't see me in a couple of hours, please come get me. You know how I can get lost in a workout. hehehe

smooches

FitFluential

Congratulate me! I am one of the latest Ambassadors to the newest brainchild of fitness blogger Kelly Olexa, FitFluential.

This is what the website says about FitFluential:

FitFluential is a nationwide network of fitness enthusiasts sharing their journey both online and offline through multiple social media platforms. Founded in April of 2011 by Kelly Olexa, FitFluential was designed to connect health and wellness brands with their ideal target market through customized, long-term experiential and contextual marketing campaigns.

Kelly asked me to be part of this group a couple of weeks ago and I was not only flattered, I was excited! I've been stumbling and tumbling along on my fitness/health quest for the LONGEST time and I am thrilled to be a part of a resource to assist me and others on this quest.

I'm fielding my way through what it means to be a part of this new family and I'd love it if you guys would share your fitness stories with me. Leave your cliff notes version in the comments section. Or share whatever it is that you do to keep your fitness and health at a level you like.

I'm hoping that my 50-something take on a fitness journey can help some of us that are in a similar age grouping. There are so many young uns out there that we of a certain age need some help and guidance as well. Or at least a story that we can relate to!

I'll be telling my story on my other blog, but will, of course, be blogging updates right here on Fashion Plate.

Okay now, come on and give me smooches. I'm going to need every one of them.