February 11, 2012

Real Foods Challenge: Day 11

Today was much easier than the past couple of days have been on this challenge. I kept super busy all morning, and I think that helped me to not think about food constantly. I spent the entire morning working on revamping my FAQ page and I created a page called 'Directory'. I hope this will make it easier to find things on my blog.

Despite having my FAQ page for the life of the blog, I still get e-mails from people asking me, "Do you have any weight loss tips?" or "How did you lose the weight?" and it makes me want to pull my hair out. I don't mean to offend anyone that may have asked me those questions, but I just felt like I was answering the same thing over and over and over again. The answers are all over my blog. Hopefully with the reorganization, it'll be easier to find answers.

I think that no matter what I say, a lot of people are still looking for me to give a magical answer. The answers I have to give aren't good enough, because they are common sense and not what that person wants to hear.

But all of this led me to consider doing a Q&A post once a week or so. Basically, I will pick a reader question (or two or three) to answer once a week. Is this something that would interest you? The questions can be about anything at all, not just weight loss. If you have a question you'd like me to answer on the blog, just send me an e-mail with the subject "Q&A". I'll just include your first name (unless you ask me not to).

I'm finally over my salad kick! I had a salad almost every single day since Christmas Eve, and I'm finally done. I've mentioned this before, but I go through phases with food sometimes, which is why I tend to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch every day--until I move on to something else.

My food log today:
Breakfast--oatmeal cooked in milk with dates, walnuts, and pure maple syrup
Lunch--leftover fajita
Dinner--polenta with parmesan cheese, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed Brussels sprouts
Snacks--dates with peanut butter, pistachios, popcorn with oil and salt

Dinner was so good! I never want to make polenta because of the way it smells (I think it smells like a farm while it's cooking); but I always love the way it tastes and I tell myself to make it more often. Even my kids liked it, and they don't like anything!
Notice that my food log didn't include any of the date balls I made yesterday. That's because I ate the last one before bed last night. I ate almost all of them! Jerry had two, Noah had one, and Eli had one. That means I had five. I could feel all that fiber in my belly when I woke up this morning, too.



I was planning on running three miles on the dreadmill today, and I was actually kind of looking forward to it so that I could try out my Garmin foot pod. I got my running clothes on and read the instructions for the foot pod, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to make it connect. It's *supposed* to be the same as the heart rate monitor, where you just turn on the Garmin and it senses the connection. I never had a problem with the heart rate monitor.

I read the instruction manual for the foot pod and the Garmin itself, and it wasn't helpful. I searched online, but apparently nobody else has had that problem. I got pissed off and put the pod back in the package to return to Amazon. I'm bummed :(  Maybe tomorrow I'll try again. I was so frustrated that I just took off my running clothes and skipped my run altogether. It was an "optional" run this week, so it's not too bad--I ran three days this week.

I've just been so on edge lately, and getting irritated about everything. Jerry even said, "Man, I can't wait until March 1st so you quit being so irritable!" I'm counting the days, too. I'm almost halfway done.

My biggest craving so far has been a Mrs. Fields cookie with frosting, followed closely by a cupcake from Whole Foods. I will be a much happier person when I can have dessert again. "Real" dessert; and by "real", I mean fake. With chemicals and additives and food coloring and all that stuff. ;) 

24 comments:

  1. Don't feel bad. We've been doing a version of "real food" since December 28th at our house. I think week 2 was the very worst week. Week 1 was a novelty and I really didn't have withdrawals from anything, but Week 2 killed me and now that I'm somewhere between week 6 & week 7 I'm going strong. Made homemade sugar cookies for church tonight and wasn't even tempted as I frosted them. Good Luck! You're doing great!

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  2. Your blog is so inspiring- not just to stick with a change in your eating habits and exercise frequency-- mine needs a lot of improvement since I rarely exercise (read:never), but you make such yummy looking food! I've recently started eating more "real" foods, and I admit- I crave crazy, yucky, disgusting, wonderful chemicals and colors and all manners of sweets! sweets are my sweet!

    Anyways, love your blog. I've been reading it every day since I had a terrible run in with my new scale... guess i'll be "scaling" back ;)

    www.memoriesinthemess.blogspot.com

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  3. I love when people ask me how I lost my weight. I love their expression even more when I tell them I eat healthy and exercise. They always are so disappointed. Oops, reality sucks.

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  4. Thanks to your blog (knowing there are others out there like me and the advice in your FAQ section, haha), you have helped motivate me to lose 75lb as of today! Yay! Still have another 40-50lb to go but I am so damn happy. I have done a lot of losing and gaining in the past but so far this time, it doesn't feel like "work". I eat well most of the time with added treats when I feel like it. I run 3 days a week and strength train 2 days a week. Your biggest piece of advice that stuck with me was that I shouldn't make any changes that I won't be able to stick with long term....that has been the key to my weight loss thus far. I run because I enjoy it. I eat chocolate because I enjoy it (I just eat less of it). Anyway, just a quick "Thanks" for the motivation and thanks for all the time you put into your blog.

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    1. You have no idea how happy that makes me! I'm so glad you "got it" this time around ;) CONGRATS on your weight loss!

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  5. I would love for you to do a Q&A entry! Once I found your blog, I started reading from the beginning as well as keeping up with your daily entries. Like you, I found that I cannot have sweets and other temptations in the house.

    I'm super curious how you found your running partners and how you got used to the dreadmill. It must be a mental thing for me because I cannot run on the dreadmill to save my life. It feels so much (physically) harder than running outside.

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  6. It also doesnt seem like you eat a lot of protien and I was wondering why.

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  7. I bought brussel sprouts for the first time the other day because I see you and Lori making them all the time. You said you sauteed them? I'll have to look on your recipe blog. i was going to roast them like the cauliflower. I've NEVER eaten a brussel sprout!!

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  8. I would love for you to a Q&A. I started following your blog thanks to Pinterest. I've lost and kept off 50lbs for over a year. Days when I don't want to run I come and read your blog and get motivated to go for a run!! Thank you for being my inspiration!!

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  9. Hello! I just want to say that I love your blog, it is SO inspiring! Also, I ran across this recipe today and thought that maybe it would help you out with your real food challenge. :) Good luck!

    http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-bake-energy-bites-recipe.html

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  10. I would LOVE a Q&A session weekly! Im about to start week 4 of my weight loss journey, and thanks to you, Im doing it the right way this time, eating right and exercise!Thank you!!

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  11. I think your FAQ page is great - love the new changes. I can understand how grustrating it is, people see the magic - before/after pictures and think - it must have been easy - how did she do it.

    Its the classic "I'll do anything to lose weight, except eat right and exercise". I have/am there. I have 100lbs to lose and everyday I have to remind myself that this is NOT EASY, and expecting it to be easy is not going to help me do it.

    I still get inspired by your writing and working out. I can't wait to be there too.

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  12. I recently purchased the same Garmin that you have. I also have the footpod, and struggled with connecting it (as well as my HRM). I figured out that if you go into your settings, there is a menu option for "accessories". If you click on the footpod option, you can resend the signal.

    Hopefully that helps.

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  13. Could you do an update on your surgery? How is the scar healing? pictures?

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  14. I was just on your 'Favorite things' page and I cracked up! Saw your favorite tea at the bottom and the 'Best Price' was $2.97 or 'Buy New' was $3.08. All I thought of was used tea bags coming via UPS!

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  15. The weekly Q&A post is a great idea! Also, I love your directory! Very organized and easy to follow! Time well spent. Thanks so much for making it even easier for all of us!

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  16. Hi Katie,
    I have the footpod and I don't know if you tried this or not but when I use it at the gym for the treadmill you have to turn off the GPS and then turn it back on when you are running outside.

    Hope that helps

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  17. I don't understand why you would continue on a regime that makes you miserable and irritable. It doesn't quite seem right to me. I understand the logistics behind doing the whole real food thing but if you don't plan on doing it long term and its making you miserable why continue? I hope I don't come off sounding like I'm being rude because that's not my intention I just can not find words to ask without sounding rude. :)

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    1. That is a very good question! And I've asked myself that a lot over the past few days. I truly AM curious about how I will feel about it after the month is over. I'm wondering if I'm irritable because of sugar withdrawal or something. I guess I think of it like an experiment ;)

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  18. Katie - I hear you on the emails. I get so many and they sound so desperate for help. I honestly don't know how to answer them sometimes. Unfortunately, it won't matter how many FAQ pages you have. People still email you for advice. Or to give you their opinion on what you are doing LOL!

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  19. I could see how e-mails would get tedious with the same questions. I spent so much time reading every page the FAQs etc. when I first came to your blog and it was all very informative but a Q&A is always fun and good :)

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  20. Love how honest you are on your blog!!!!! Good luck with the foot pod thing. Hope it works for you next time.

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  21. I love that you offer the FAQ section! It is such a good place for me to go in this journey I am on and see what worked for you.

    One question I do have concerns running in cold weather. I know it is freezing where you are and you are always out running in it. I am not from a cold climate normally and now living in Germany. I love running but in these winter months where the high some days is 20... I find it hard to get out there! Any suggestions on certain clothes/things that help? Do you eventually get used to the cold when running?? Help! lol

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  22. Katie, I think Q&A is a great idea! I love your blog. Your honesty and dedication motivates me. I know you get hammered with emails asking the same questions over and over...so being that I am someone that has emailed you in the past, THANK YOU for the time you put into both your blog and your emails. That being said, I started my journey after first reading your blog about 5 weeks ago. As of today, I'm down 13.7 pounds. A pretty good start to a long journey ahead! But thanks to you it clicked in my head when it never has before! :) Thank you for sharing your days with us!

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I used to publish ALL comments (even the mean ones) but I recently chose not to publish those. I always welcome constructive comments/criticism, but there is no need for unnecessary rudeness/hate. But please--I love reading what you have to say! (This comment form is super finicky, so I apologize if you're unable to comment)

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