A call to 911 is answered and it wasn't me complaining about my bug bites.

When your back is hurting life just seems to speed up and expect you to hobble along with it.  I went on two walks yesterday hoping to jump start the healing process and today it feels more nervy so I hope that is good.  I clearly missed my calling as a physician.  Today I going to try some hot yoga to loosen release some of the tension there. 

On the topic of tension...I was walking into a FCA staff meeting yesterday and there was an accident in front of the office.  The damage was minimal but the guy that crashed into the car in front of him went ballistic.  Like "rage" ballistic.  I ended up calling 911 and the guy that answered my call (immediately) couldn't believe how loud this dude was.  I blushed from the language he was using, it was obscene.  He was trying to get into the other car at one point (the owner rolled up the windows and locked the doors but was still inside trapped), I just couldn't believe it.  Lots of police cars pulled up and it seemed like the street was flooded with officers all of a sudden.  Phew.  It was nuts.

Saw this sign over the weekend at a bar in our 'hood.  Love it.

We have a family at church that is struggling through a major life trial right now and I had signed up to bring them a meal.  They requested a low sodium, low fat, high fiber meal to meet their special medical needs.  Bob Harper had prepared me for this very moment in recipe creation. 

I got some tin to-go containers from Publix and cooked up some brown basmati rice <--superior to all other brown rices (rices is a word and this rice cooks up in 20 minutes), I added some minced garlic and onion and cilantro at the very end to mimic Chipotle rice, aka, the gold standard.

To make some Cuban black bean soup to go along side the rice, I started by making a sofrito of one green and one red bell pepper, two onions, and 10 cloves of garlic (holla).  After sauteing that in a little water (no oil) I put it all in a blender to puree for the soup.  I poured one pound of dried and sorted black beans into my crock pot with about 5 cups of water.  I added two bay leaves and a half teaspoon of smoked sea salt for the iodine of course. 

I made a tray of toppings for the rice and black beans with fresh corn, green onions, LOTS of cilantro, avocado, some fresh tomato salsa, and some hot sauce if they were feeling spicy. 

A simple salad of mixed greens accompanied it and I put labels on each dish with the ingredients listed clearly. 

I got a little carried away but it was kind of fun to have a mission to create something good with parameters of what it could include.  Matt and I had it for dinner too which was a bonus that I didn't have to cook.

You should try fresh corn raw, it is one of my favorite parts of summer, I eat it right out of the fridge off the ear like a bumpkin. 

Sucker for a celebrity diet plan.

Randomness for a wild Tuesday.....

I'm just about ready to be done with Mr. Bob Harper.  The plan is for someone that has something really big (reunion, wedding, etc.) that they realized too late they wanted to look good for and I have nothing on the horizon like that, so zero motivation to omit such large (and delicious) food groups from my diet.  In rebellion, Matt took me out for fro yo last night.  I got a little delirious from the sudden sugar rush.  I think I'll keep on trucking with the lighter sodium intake though, I lost a lot of water weight which I can tell in my face, it's not beautifully puffy like it usually is.  Now you can see all of my wrinkles.  Friday we are going to hit up our favorite brewery and I CAN'T WAIT.  LIKE, CANNOT WAIT.

I visited Leto High School yesterday to hear Tony Mayo speak to the kids about his childhood growing up in Brooklyn.  The kids were hilarious.  Tony wanted all of the kids to yell "Outstanding!" when he asked how they were throughout the presentation and one girl said she just felt "emotional" to which I started giggling.  So mature Rachel. 

After fro yo Matt cleaned our windshield so there weren't bug guts smearing things up all day and distracting our vision from important things like pedestrians and red lights.  He's awesome.  I hate car related things. 

When I get my Prius though, I will take very good care of her and wash her every week. 

Post fro yo sugar meltdown.  Luke is such a little trooper.

End note:  for the first time on the blog, there was not ONE SINGLE spelling error on the page.  That is a first, I am the worst speller in the history of the internet. 

No salt? No problem. Unless it's a margarita. Then yes.

A huge component of the Bob Harper, "Jumpstart to Skinny" plan, is reducing salt intake.  It's pretty tough too, and many people don't realize how much sodium they were eating/adding to their food until they take it out.  I sure as heck didn't. 

Last Friday, I ate some Greek salad at an event with the dressing they prepared it with and I couldn't believe how salty (and delicious) it tasted.  Before this little experiment, I probably wouldn't have shouted "THIS IS THE BEST SALAD I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE" to all that were within earshot. 

Your taste buds start to adapt to the changes you make in your diet, whether it is cooking with less oil, sugar, or in this case ALL OF THOSE.  Thanks Bob :(

Now that Matt is home and I'm not cooking my crazy all-veggie meals for just me, he gets to be in on the fun.  Instead of the regular crackers I used to buy, I switched to low salt which is still pretty salty but every milligram counts, right?  He said they were pretty good too.

Another substitute was asking for low sodium soy packets the last time we got take out sushi.  They each have 170 mg of sodium and I'm thinking because they said low sodium Matt subconsciously needed more.  A regular packet of soy sauce has, 507 mg which means Matt's taste buds are impeccable as he needed 5 packets of the low sodium stuff to make up for the lacking salt.  Woof. 

I'm guessing that the normal person would use 2-3 packets of regular soy on their Chinese food (which is already a sodium bomb) coming in at over 1000-1500mg of ADDED salt to one meal.  That is crazy. 

1500mg is what the AHA recommends eating in a day. 

This is what the American Heart Association says about sodium and how it affects our health:

"Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor. For the estimated one in three Americans  who will develop high blood pressure, a high-sodium diet may be to blame. In some people, sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, creating an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium in the diet may also have other harmful health effects, including increased risk for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.

The problem is starting early in America: 97 percent of children and adolescents eat too much salt, putting them at greater risk for cardiovascular diseases as they get older.^"

Sourced from The American Heart Association

The greatest way to stop taking in less sodium is to stop building our diets around processed food.  This is such a huge part of the average American's diet, which is nuts.  This doesn't mean you have to make everything from scratch, just consciously replace processed food with whole foods when cooking. 

A meal for a typical American family might be:

Spaghetti <-processed noodles even if they are whole grain

Spaghetti sauce <- processed

Ground Beef to add to sauce <-most is minimally processed, check the label for added salt

Garlic Bread <- even when making your own, bread is a processed food

Ice cream<- processed

A better option:

-Grilled Steaks/ Chicken

-Roasted potatoes and veggies

-Ice Cream <-unless you want to milk the cow hanging out back, grind up some sugar cane, and head to Madagascar for some sick vanilla, ice cream is a necessary processed food.  You could be really groovy though and blend up some frozen bananas in your food processor for a completely un processed sweet treat but it doesn't taste EXACTLY like ice cream as claimed on Pinterest.  It is pretty good though. 

I feel like the alternative meal is an option that no one would feel like they are suffering for the cause of less sodium and you control what goes into each part of the meal (aside from dessert). 

Another trick I learned in a Whole Foods cooking class (most are free, and really fun, sign ups are at the store) was to not add salt during cooking and add it to taste after you've helped yourself to a plate.  When cooking, the salt is absorbed into the food to flavor it, but when added it AFTER cooking, the salt is one of the first things you taste, meaning you need less of it to add flavor. 

Cleansing for the rest of us.

So many hugs and awkward face kisses to everyone that shared my constant updates/tweets about Matt yesterday.  He barely had time to breathe during his press kick in NYC, and tonight he plays in the city.  So proud.  After VH1, i Heart Radio, and the Atlantic office for a live Q&A, he deserved a big drink.

Luke and I watched him for the Q&A......Luke brought the popcorn to spite me...he knows I can't have complex carbs after breakfast.




It has been almost one week of Bob Harper's plan and there has been A LOT of this....

Water is kinda making me start to gag.  I ended up taking some days off for my trip down South (only in South Florida does that entail traveling North).  No alcohol though.  My parents invited me to their favorite Wednesday night happy hour and I said "No, because I'm on an alcohol cleanse".  They thought that sounded pretty dangerous which I thought was funny until my mom asked me later why I was using alcohol to cleanse.

If I did that I might just look like this all the time.

 

 Note to family, I try some crazy diets/cleanses/etc. but if I ever go on a "nothing but alcohol" cleanse?  Go ahead and commit me.  I'll probably be baker acted by someone else anyway and I'd rather it be you.


It was gloom city in Tampa yesterday so I went to a spin class instead of walking the dog which really ticked him off.  I wanted comfort food and Bob's plan is pretty much anti-comfort so I had to think outside the box. 

Clean Eating Tomato Bisque:
-can of tomatoes (salt free)
-low sodium (actually low sodium) vegetable broth
-light coconut milk
-fresh garlic
-basil (I used dried but fresh would have been so good)
-curry powder

I sauteed the garlic for about 45 seconds on medium heat in about a tablespoon of water.  Then poured the can of salt free tomatoes into the pan, added a cup of low sodium veggie broth, a teaspoon of curry, half a can of light coconut milk, teaspoon of dried basil, and a prayer that everything would taste good.  It needed salt but was pretty tasty. 

While Luke hunted lizards on the porch,  I got to watch him and drink soup for about ten seconds until the mosquitoes found me.  I don't know why they were interested as I haven't had sugar in foooooooooooooorever.  They are probably still feasting on the bite of my aunt's Honey Bun Cake. Oh Lord. 

Friday o clock.

I had a lot to do before my trip up to Tallahassee and knew I had an event to attend this evening so I better get in gear so I wasn't setting my alarm at 4am on a Saturday to clean our guestroom sheets before my parent's showed up to drive me to Grandma's (true story, that is happening). 

All of the clothes I bought for the Taylor Swift concert last week went back to Nordstrom because apparently I mistook my age for that of a high school-er.  When I showed my friend the outfits I bought for the show, she laughed.  That is never good.  I did find a new (to me) nail polish there....pale pink.  Shocker! 

 

 

We have an amazing house sitter that watches Luke and loves him almost as much as we do.  It takes a very special person to love our dog.  So I need to make sure our house if clean so she will continue to love him.  

 

 I don't know if it's because I haven't been running since starting my three week experiment but Luke's little life is in shambles.  I was watching TV last night and normally he cuddles up next to me, but last night?  He sat on the opposite end of the couch and just stared at me.  Like the awkward stare a person gives you that is creepy.  Luke has nailed it. 

 



He did this for AN HOUR. 



 

I'm not going to update my progress on Bob's plan on the daily.  It is less interesting than my usual daily life and no one wants to see a picture of more salt less vegetables on my stove.  Maybe I'll post a weekly update of my transition to Jennifer Aniston, so watch out.  I did buy some cilantro yesterday and that is helping flavor things a bit.  You kind of stop wanting food when it doesn't have seasoning.  Maybe that is the secret to Bob's plan.  Woof.  The workout last night was the best one yet though.  His workouts have been so simple (in what to do, not ease of doing) that they kind of get boring.  20 minutes of sit ups, push ups, and squats are hard, but I need more variety.  Last night was 5 rounds for time of 10 burpees, 15 chair raises, and 25 jump ropes.  It didn't look very hard but I was really winded. 

 

Embarrassingly winded. 

 

I can't wait to force my cousins to do this with me tomorrow. 

 

Maybe not though, one of my cousins is a Zumba instructor and she might make me do that which is my least favorite exercise in the whole entire world.

So that bourbon is not for me?

Day three of Bob Harper’s plan and I feel good.  I forgot to mention an important part of this three week boondoogle. 

No alcohol. 

At all. 

For three weeks. 

I’m being dramatic, I know.  This isn’t as terrible as I’m making it out to be…..or at least that is what I keep repeating in my head. 

So no more of this girl for three weeks….

Mr. Harper is getting some slack from many on social media…I saw one hashtag that read #jumpstarttostarvation.  I get it, 800 calories is very crazy.  Many called it dangerous.  But I take Bob’s invitation to eat as many vegetables from an extensive list very seriously, and whatever way you look at it, vegetables have calories, which supply energy.  So I haven’t been hungry and have been getting plenty of calories. 

 I do kind of want to stick a straw in a packet of soy sauce though.  I want salt so badly.  To make sure I’m not dangerously low on sodium (I honestly think I am getting enough in the food I eat but to be safe) I’m drinking 16 ounces of no added sugar electrolyte replacement drink (I am using the brand, Nuun because it is the only kind I’ve been able to stomach) each day as well. 

That is in addition to water.  You could probably roll me down the street, I'm so full of water.  So much water. 

Last night’s dinner was roasted broccoli, tomatoes, and Brussels, some of my favorite vegetables that somehow turn into not my favorite vegetables without salt.  I’m going to buy lots of fresh herbs today to spice up the flavors a bit, my dried collection isn’t going to cut it.  I have noticed that after a couple bites, I have not minded as much, it is just the first bite that makes you wonder what you cooked for yourself.

I am so pumped for this weekend.  I get to see my family!!!! We have skipped Thanksgiving in Tallahassee two years in a row and I haven’t seen them in a long time.  I’m so excited. 

Not really excited about bringing this diet to the land of the holy trinity of salt, butter, and sugar. 

Boo hoo.    

A doozy of a post.

Last night I went bowling.  And I hate to bowl.  I didn’t actually bowl, I just cheered but bowling alleys give me the willies.  Our bible study had a social night and bowling was the flavor of week which is unfortunate because it was still bowling.  I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time though and I love these people so much.  If I’m going bowling, I don’t want to go with anyone else.

 

 

Before delving into a fascinating book review, I have some FCA updates because that is what this blog was initially for and not how happy or sad I am on a certain day or what I had for breakfast (oatmeal, if you wondering, every.single.day). 

I can work (and get paid) for 10 hours each week.  It doesn’t sound like many hours but it is really perfect because right when I started working part time for FCA, my work load/responsibilities with my “real” job increased and I have become incredibly busy.  I increased my hours to keep up with the amount of work that was now included in my job, so 10 hours with FCA was perfect.  I am still struggling to find my stride in keeping my “real” job and scheduling my meetings with the students and keeping up with their own schedules, hello, these kids are super busy.  I had a student tell me this morning that once her exam had started in mid May, she’d be getting out early and could do lunch.  Seriously.  She’s 17 years old.  I don’t want to short change FCA at all and obviously want to do everything I start with excellence, so please pray for me that I can find my groove and be fruitful. 

This morning was the weekly bible study at Hillsborough High School and Justin, the VP of that club, is a senior and leaving next Tuesday.  Every Wednesday I went he wore something similar to the below picture, it is so great.  A senior in a bow tie is my new favorite thing.  So cool.  I brought donuts to celebrate the bright things to come for Justin as he heads off to college. 

 

It should be of no surprise to any of my friends how much I love “The Biggest Loser”, not one of my friends here watches it too which is super lame because it is so awesome so I just talk about it and they are bored.  The trainers are the best part of the show, I’ve liked all of them except for Anna Kournicova and I can’t put my finger on why, but she just didn’t fit.  I found on twitter that one of the trainers came out with a book and my Audible.com credit was burning a hole in my digital pocket so I bought it. 

“Jumpstart to Skinny:  The Simple 3 Week Plan for Supercharged Weight Loss”

In a Bob Harper nutshell, this book is a pretty rigorous regimen of eating/working out like I’d imagine a celebrity does to look so fantastic on the red carpet.  It is a three week plan for someone that has a big event to get ready for in a short amount of time and wants to look like Angelina Jolie.  Something that has not seemed feasible to the common girl like me and after reading about what it entails to look so fantastic, I don’t know if I’m game either.  He prescribes an 800 calorie diet with a selection of work out “packages” you can choose from 5 days a week.  In addition to the 800 calorie diet however, you can eat as many vegetables from a pretty extensive list in whatever amount satisfies you. 

The number of calories I was required to eat to look like a pop star was making me hungry but I’m willing to try it.  Diet/Nutrition have always been interesting and I love me some Bob Harper so I’m going to try it and make some variations of his plan.  So you can plant a big ol’ asterisk next to me when I’m done because I didn’t do it Bob’s way. 

I wouldn’t recommend getting the audio to this book if you are a normal person that buys books.  I usually check them out from the library but because it was a three week plan, and I am cheap and don’t buy books when my tax payer dollars allow me to rent them, I used my Audible credit.  I kept wanting to re-read parts about the diet itself and science behind it but I know it’s not safe to mess when my phone and drive.  It did come with a PDF of the recipes and exercises with a daily plan for each as well which I liked.

The Good-or at least what I’ll be following for three weeks:)

-Bob Harper is very motivational and I really love his training style on the show.  He narrates the book in the same style and I couldn’t get enough.  He’s so funny and straight forward.

-Drink more water.  Then drink some more water.  And more water.  Drink lots of water.  (He prescribes 80 ounces or more)

I'd like a dozen donuts for them.....and a cup of water for me:(

-All you can eat vegetables.  My life anyway.  Bob recommends eating them raw and I get it, but kind of hate it.  Sorry, raw mushrooms are like licking an armpit.

 

-No salt.  I’ve been trying to cut back my salt intake recently and this requires pretty much none.  I am interested to see what happens when you omit salt from your diet (it’s naturally occurring in many foods, but I won’t be adding any).

-Basic exercises you can do without a gym.  I have a gym but appreciate that there is not once part of his routine that requires one.  Most of his exercises are walking and using your own body weight to work out. 

-No processed foods.  Thank you Bob Harper for not making a “Bob Harper Meal Replacement Shake”.  I hate when famous people do that.  I’m such a sucker for marketing.

-No complex carbs after breakfast.  My oats in the morning are going to be my only complex carbs.  If he mentioned the research on this it went over my head but I’ll play this game for three weeks.

The BadL

-95% of the recipes have meat in them (there is one for every day and every meal on the program so if you ate meat, you wouldn’t get bored).  This surprised me because I was 99% Bob Harper was vegan.  Normally I would just add beans or tofu or other meat replacement but he is very adamant about getting the ratio of carbs/proteins/fats that each of his meals provides.  I wouldn’t think that my kidney beans provide the good fats that salmon provides and I want to make Bob happy.  I’m going to stick to my normal breakfast oatmeal recipe because there is no added sugar, and pretty much eat as I normally would for the other meals.  I’m going to try the recipes he put together and omit the meat.  I tweeted at him about it but Bob Harper has not found it important to respond to yet.  I’ll keep you updated. 

Last night I made an eggplant sauté with tomatoes and portabellas.  I put lots of garlic, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes in but I missed salt.  That is going to take some time to get used to.  You can look forward to the daily update.