Days 5 – 11 ~ 9 pounds lost! Whoot!

So I have learned SO MUCH on this plan so far I can not even tell you in one post (ok, we all know I’m going to anyway). First and most important, my thyroid is not as “stable” as I thought it was. The author of The Plan, Lyn-Genet Recitas,  has you take your temperature every morning (I have two thermometers because I’m usually in shock at low my temp is), and temperature is a sign of how your thyroid is doing- or reacting. Other signs for me personally of having thyroid issues include feeling tired- so tired that I feel like I have the flu. Also I feel depressed and have no appetite at all. Around Day 3/4/5, I noticed that I was so tired. I went to bed early and even missed one of my favorite classes at the gym. I slept for over 12 hours. I started to take the temperature thing seriously- the first few days I wasn’t even paying too close attention- my temp was down to 95.5 and I had missed a meal for loss of appetite. I actually thought I was coming down with something because I was so tired. Then suddenly I had a thought: was I eating other goitrogenic foods like spinach that were bringing me down?

 

Apparently I was eating several. Kale and broccoli are also on that list- they are supposed to have less of an effect when they are cooked. The goitrogens are compounds found in some foods that have been proven to interfere with thyroid function by blocking the enzymes that produce thyroid hormones (Recitas, 41). This is supposed to be deactivated when cooking- but, I have found through research on my own that the goitrogens are only reduced by 1/3 when cooked. My thyroid must be really sensitive to these sorts of foods because not only did I have a drop in temperature for a few days, but I was exhausted, feeling low, and had no appetite. I even missed a meal just to go to bed.

 

After a whole day of avoiding these foods, my temperature went back up to 97.5 (my temp doesn’t seem to go higher than this- but over 97 is at least acceptable) and I started feeling better and losing weight again. Steak has been the only other thing I had a small reaction to – but since it was during my thyroid issues, I plan on testing it again to see if I do indeed have a difficult time digesting steak. It seems to be mostly the foods on the goitrogenic list that I have problems with. Pork has tested fine. Interestingly enough, when I went to the doctor after my birthday and he told me about the book and inquired about spinach- I stopped eating raw spinach and lost 6 pounds in one week. The next week after that, before I started the plan, I couldn’t lose a single pound. I have been recording what I eat for some time now so I went back to see what I was eating- I ate sweet potatoes every single day that week. That is also a goitrogen. I plan on testing it, but it doesn’t look like I’ll be eating those often.

 

The author of The Plan, Lyn-Genet Recitas, talks constantly about eating a variety of foods. If you stop eating a variety of foods, and stop testing foods, your weight loss will stall. One of my main problems is that I am pretty boring- I don’t want a variety of foods. I find a food I like- such as spinach or sweet potatoes- and I eat that food every single day. This isn’t healthy. Your body needs a variety of friendly foods to encourage weight loss. I am starting to worry about the amount of variety that my vegetables (which are eating at lunch and dinner) are going to consist of- so far I can eat squash, onion, garlic, mixed greens, romaine lettuce, zucchini, and carrots. I can’t just eat those every day. I have to find other vegetables to eat too or my success after the plan is over will be limited. I guess I’m feeling a little overwhelmed- after the 20 days is over, will I be able to incorporate everything I’ve learned into a healthy lifestyle that works for me?

 

Day 5 was a test for rye that I didn’t participate in- I already have made my decisions regarding wheat/gluten and I stand by them. I did follow the rest of the day which included leftover dinner salad with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds (wow, I didn’t realize how much vegetarian protein was in pumpkin/sunflower seeds. What a great way to get your protein for the day!), soup, apple, chicken with spicy apricot glaze and grilled zucchini with orange oil (not my favorite) and grated manchengo. Also a beet and carrot salad (that I have given up trying to eat now). I made myself eat it a few times, and I realize I’m not following the plan to the letter, but beets and carrots just can’t be done. Sue me.

 

Day 6 was similar except I tested steak with roasted squash, kale and manchengo salad.

Day 7 Was a rest day again- flax granola, leftover dinner (kale/squash salad) with soup, chicken with lemon garlic sauce with mixed greens as well as a vegetable mix of carrots zucchini onions and mushrooms. One ounce of chocolate. Whoot!

 

Day 8 was a bread test. I ate everything else except the bread and was doing just fine. Sunflower seeds, avocado, mixed greens and an apple for lunch (same flax for breakfast), homemade hummus (I added black and red pepper and made it hot. Like mouth burning hot- just ask my mom LOL) chicken again and the vegetable mix from the day previous.

 

Day 9 I was doing fine. This day had the same flax breakfast, baby romaine with goat cheese, avocado, sunflower seeds, and chicken with roasted squash (YUM!) and the plan chopped salad. The plan chopped salad is baby romaine, zucchini, carrot, apple, avocado, sunflower seeds, and cilantro. This was delicious! Are we noticing a pattern here with the greens and vegetables and chicken?

Day 10 I tested a pork roast that I made and it turned out fine. I had flax seed for breakfast (again!) leftover squash and plan chopped salad, then the pork roast with salad/sunflower seeds, avocado, and lemon oil.

 

Day 11 Today was a good day. I loved the food today (except for the flax granola breakfast that will change starting tomorrow, yeah!), then the leftover salad from the dinner the previous day, hummus, chicken with garlic and lemon, mixed green salad, and vegetable timbale.  The vegetable timbale was zucchini, onion, goat cheese, carrots, mushrooms and goat cheese layered together like a lasagna. It isn’t something I thought I was going to love, but I did! I also had some wine, chocolate, and balsamic vinegar (on my salad soo good)! So I am feeling fine right now!!!

 

Eight days to go. Wow. I’ve come so far. This book has really educated me and changed my life. I would just like to take a moment to point out to all the doubters that 9 pounds in 11 days is pretty conclusive that this book does work and that I CAN do this myself. I would also like to point out that ONE of the FIVE MILLION ENDOCRINOLOGISTS I’VE SEEN SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE GOITROGETIC FOODS. NOT AN ALLERGIST. NOT A GASTROENTEROLOGIST. The thyroid is what endocrinologists are supposed to study- I have seen several (and have appointments with two more scheduled) but NOT A ONE mentioned that certain types of food can block your thyroid. I could have gone to an allergist and a gastroenterologist and chances are- they wouldn’t be able to help me either. I’m not allergic to these foods. You could say that there are  “intolerances”  there- but really most of my food issues are related to my thyroid- so far. There is the questionable steak issue- but being that I didn’t have a severe reaction (no stomach ache or bloating) how would a gastroenterologist ever help me figure any of those out???? None of the endocrinologists figured out it was food related. But, my PCP- just a regular doctor with no extra special training figured out that my issues were probably food related. Go figure.

 

My message is this: Listen to your body. It’s trying to tell you something. Food is everything- and nothing is as it seems. Screw everyone that tells you that it’s just a plateau or that you don’t have any symptoms/you are fine. YOU are the best person to diagnose yourself and help yourself. You can do this. I did it, and I am doing it. I’ve lost 28 pounds so far this year alone. If I can do it- so can you. (I didn’t say it would be easy- but you know where to find me if you need me!) Stay healthy and happy my friends! LIVE!

Days 2 and 3! Today is day 4! Losing weight and feeling good!

Days 2 and 3 were tough. Eating carrot and ginger soup again on Day 2 was difficult, and the Spicy Coco Vegetarian soup on Day 3 wasn't much better. I felt tired both days, almost like I was coming down with something. I was weak and slept extra both days. According to "The Plan" this is to be expected and is a good sign that your body is restoring itself. But wait- I haven't told you the best news yet!

Day 3 I woke up and lost 4 pounds. Yes, 4 pounds. Most likely water weight from inflammation. My body was probably busy restoring itself and bringing down the inflammation and kicking out toxins, which is why I was tired. Today is Day 4, and I woke up today and lost another 2 pounds. That's six pounds down!!! Wow!

 Day 2 is flax granola again, carrot ginger soup and mixed greens with leftover broccoli, a pear with some almonds, and leftover kale with vegetables with brown rice and pumpkin seeds.

Day 3 is flax granola again, baby romaine with avocado, pumpkin seeds, and spicy vegetarian soup, almonds, and chicken with Italian herbs and orange zest with roasted winter vegetables.

Day 4 (which is today) includes cheese, wine, and dark chocolate. Yeah! flax granola/blueberries, leftover roasted winter vegetables with mixed greens and pumpkin seeds, carrots with homemade hummus and for dinner (which I am going to go make now so I'll let you know how it turns out) chicken with mango cucumber salsa, mixed greens with carrots and avocado, steamed broccoli with orange oil and chili flakes. I am also drinking 132 oz of water a day and adding extra water if I exercise (which I did today) or if I drink wine.

I will say those were some of the 3 hardest days of my life. I was tired, and had cravings for different foods that weren't on the menu, and didn't really enjoy either of the soups that much. Maybe its just me and I'm not that much of a soup maker, but the spicy vegetarian soup wasn't that great either and I had to force myself to eat it. Each day is prepared so that you are eating enough calories, fiber, and proteins (from vegetable and meat sources) and also designed so that you aren't hungry. Even though I didn't enjoy all of the foods, I was by no means starving myself. The plans are also designed to have totally non-reactive foods the first 3 days so that your body can catch up and restore itself. It seems to be working.

I can eat as much cheese as I want now, and am allowed to have chocolate and wine as of day 4. Believe me, I am not starving and making sure to eat until I am full. I have really enjoyed the roasted winter vegetables that were dinner on day 3 and lunch today on day 4. I am learning lots of interesting things such as that pumpkin seeds have 9 grams of protein per ounce which is why they show up on the daily meal plans so much. Also, I learned yesterday from checking out Lyn Genet Recita's facebook that she recommends that you eat meat or fish proteins a certain number of times a week to prevent having reactions to them. For example, she recommends that you eat fish not more than once per week- this is another thing I was eating every single day (much like the spinach). I seem to get on a kick and like a certain food, and then eat a lot of it. I need to include more variety in my diet, and I think that this will help me do that.

I've learned a TON already! Stay tuned as I continue on this wacky journey! Stay healthy and happy my friends!

The Plan Day 1

Day 1 of The Plan is pretty hard. I won't lie. The first three days are detoxing your body and if you've read my previous blog about the last time I went through a detox then you'll know that your body is fighting cravings. Lots of cravings!!! Especially for sugar (which could be due to a build up of yeast in your body. A build up of yeast can cause sugar cravings).  After the first three days, the menu is more generous as you can eat chicken, cheese, wine, even dark chocolate. The first three days are possibly the hardest. Especially if you hate carrots.

Breakfast was flax granola (made myself) with whole flax seeds, blueberries, and coconut milk. I actually like flax granola and it is nice for me to have a breakfast food I'm not allergic to (being all the gluten issues I have). Lunch was carrot and ginger soup I made ahead of time a few days ago. Jacob (my son) thought it was good, but I could barely stand the taste of the carrots. Also I ate broccoli with orange oil, mixed greens pear, part of an avocado and pumpkin seeds. An apple was a snack, and then for dinner I had to cook for the first time sauteed kale with vegetables, and put spicy coco sauce (a recipe provided by the plan) on it. Beet and carrot salad (yuck!) was also with dinner.

 This was definitely not an easy meal plan today- it does get easier, especially after the first 3 days as you are allowed to eat more items.. I guess we'll see what the value of it was at the end- because that's the only way to know whether something was worth all the trouble. To give it all you have and put the time into and see. 20 days is not a long time to eat healthy at the very least and try something new.

One day down, nineteen to go. Follow along and join me on my quest! They'll be ups and downs and a few nervous breakdowns I'm sure, but it promises to be an interesting journey! Stay healthy and happy my friends and stay tuned!

Food is everything

For the past week, I stopped eating spinach and eggs. Two foods mentioned to me by my PCP (and referenced in the book The Plan that I’ll get to in a minute) that can cause some people to have weight gain due to a chemical reaction inside your body. I have lost 6 pounds this past week! Every single day this week previously- since my birthday last week, Easter, and throughout every day, I have lost some amount of weight from ½ a pound to a pound and a half. Every single day. So what was different? I am not eating less- if fact I ate more of the things I liked over Easter and my birthday. I am not working out more- In fact, both my doctor and The Plan recommend no more than 4 days a week, so for the past two weeks now I have only gone to the gym 4 days. The deciding factor: Spinach and eggs. I am allergic to spinach, for sure.

 

What kind of dirty trick is that? Tell someone to eat healthy- but little do they know that any food- no matter how “healthy” it is- can have a negative reaction inside your body. Lyn Genet Recitas, author of The Plan, writes all about her findings. She has studied and helped countless people who couldn’t lose weight, had bad arthritis, and couldn’t get pregnant, were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and so on, and so forth. What if food is everything? What if food is the source of 99% of our problems? What if our bodies, each different, when processing food internally, has reactions to innocent foods such as eggs and spinach. And then, the reaction doesn’t show up on our skins or as a belly ache- what if we are having “reactions” to food each and every day but don’t realize it. Every acid reflux or weight gain or acne could be a sign that your body is “reacting” to something that you ate. What if you could find out once and for all what your body reacts to- wouldn’t it be worth doing anything to find out? What if it could drastically reduce your inflammation and make you feel better? Forever?

 

Lyn Genet Recitas has been studying nutrition and holistic health for 30 years and has treated countless patients. She writes, “I’d been studying all the research on inflammation, so I knew that Inflammation happens instantaneously. …I knew inflammation was the basis of all disease, and that it had been linked to weight gain. ” As she goes on to explain, it’s all about the chemistry of your bodies. Not how much calories you eat- if the foods you’re eating “burn clean” or do not have a reaction, then you won’t gain weight. Gointrogenic foods, she explains, have been shown to interfere with thyroid function. Eating these foods raw can cause serious issues- guess what is an example of a gointrogenic food that I was eating raw- every day!!!!-  spinach. I had been eating raw spinach and strawberries (also on the list) almost every single day. I recently just found out that both of my parents (who both have a TON of food allergies) are both allergic to strawberries. My mother is also allergic to gluten like me, and she is also allergic to mustard which is another highly reactive food. My father is allergic to salmon which is another food found to be reactive with people. Her studies and research found that 90% of her clients are highly reactive to farm raised fish, deli meats, sushi, hot dogs, bagels, corn, and thick crust pizza. 85% react highly to hard boiled eggs, shrimp, turkey, eggs, eggplant, greek yogurt, salmon and the list goes on and on.  The only way to find out what foods work for you and which ones do not is to do “The Plan.”

 

Oh yes, we could all go to the allergist and be tested- and I’m sure that would help us to discover some of our reactions- but it wouldn’t show them all. The spinach does not have an allergic reaction when coming into contact with my skin. It is when it is broken down and chemically released into my body that it starts to block my thyroid and also cause inflammation. Some food items will only show up once digested. The plan has a 20 day special meal plan with the first 3 days being a detox. It is designed so that each meal is chemically balanced to restore your body and allow it to heal while you introduce different items one at a time to discover which ones you have a reaction to. It is 20 days of eating things such as Kale and carrot ginger soup. I won’t lie to you- it seems like a daunting task, and you had better have 20 days where you have the time to cook yourself special (if not sometimes unappetizing) meals and not eat out. Not until day 18. I will also mention that the book is geared to mostly people 35 and above- food allergies and triggers worsen after 35 and people become way more sensitive to food which is why it is geared for that age group. There are examples of people my age in her book who have used it to figure out what things they are allergic to. I believe anyone of any age would be greatly assisted by this book- especially people suffering from certain illnesses- just keep in mind that as you age, you will need to do this again because the food allergies will change.

 

The plan has already helped me and I haven’t even started it yet. I lost 6 pounds this week just from cutting out a few seemingly harmless foods that reacted with my body chemistry. I believe that all along- all of my health issues and weight gain- have been tied to food. First the gluten and now other foods as well- there are probably more and will be more as I grow older. I thought that once I discovered my issues with gluten and had my big epiphany, that I was on my way. It didn’t occur to me I would have other food issues. What if I can figure out all of the foods that are reacting negatively? Not only will I fix my weight issues, but I could possibly eliminate my cortisol and thyroid issues as well. Who is to say that those things aren’t reacting out of a chemical imbalance in my body? Who is to say that fixing these issues and reducing inflammation won’t save me from having a hip or knee replaced later in life like some of my other family issues? Who is to say that it won’t reduce my chances of getting cancer? How can I afford to not find these answers?

 

Food is the best medicine says Hippocrates- what if it is also our worst disease?  What we know about medicine seems to be very little. The more I learn about myself, the more I believe that. Since I’ve started to write this particular segment, I’ve gained a pound one day and then lost it and then gained another a different day, then lost it again. So the question is: what was I eating those days that I had the inflammation that resulted in the weight gain? What was the difference? Something (I think it may have been milk) caused my body to freak out, gain a pound, and I had a headache the next day. The guessing game of what my body is or isn’t reacting to is making me nuts. Sunday I start the 20 day plan. I will try to post on my blog as much as I can during those 20 days to give you all an update. The first day is whole flaxseed granola with blueberries, carrot and ginger soup with salad, and roasted kale/vegetables for dinner. It should be interesting to say the least!

 

I would have thought that holistic health was a joke a year ago. I would have laughed if someone told me I was allergic to gluten or that other foods could be causing my problems. But I know this to be true- so the question is- what all is affecting my health? Is it just food? My body is obviously stubborn. It’s kind of funny- when you think about it- my cells, my very DNA, is programmed to be different. To be stubborn. It’s like my body says, “Oh yeah, go ahead eat that bread! I’ll do what I want! I’ll show you!” My very ‘being’ was created to be a pain in the ass (that makes a lot of sense to those of you that know me, I’m sure J )  But seriously, what all foods or environmental things are affecting me that I don’t know about or don’t realize?  I’m about to embark on a difficult journey to find out. Wish me luck! Stay happy and healthy my friends!