OK, I have a confession. I strayed off course during the holidays despite my planning paleo meals. There were just too many temptations and I gave in. I have dealt with some guilt over this, gained ten pounds, but have moved on and am back on track. I am human, and it only takes one or two slips ups to fall back into bad habits. I paid with increased joint pain, especially in my shoulder. I had shoulder surgery this week to break the adhesions that had restricted my shoulder movement and caused an incredible amount of pain. The pain is much better, but now I am full of anesthesia and pain killer chemicals. Time to detox!
I got my diet back on track two weeks ago and have shed most of the ten pounds I gained during the holidays. I think gluten's impact on me is water retention and inflammation, which easily goes away when I avoid grains, dairy and sugar. I have also started a running program that I begin every January, do one 5K, then take the rest of the year off. This year I hope to continue the program. I'm one of those "been there, done that" people and have trouble continuing something once I reach my goal. Time to set new goals, maybe a 10k this year! I am feeling great now that my shoulder is pain free (or at least very minimal pain) and I am getting my very ugly varicose and spider veins in my legs removed. I am even getting a hair make over next week, I'm gonna "wash that gray right out of my hair"! I have thirty more pounds to reach my goal, which will be a total loss of eighty pounds. I can do that this year. Vanity seems to have set in. Not sure how I feel about that...
My life has been super busy recently. I am driving an hour and a half one way each week to the vein doctor, I have to do physical therapy five times a week for my shoulder, I have had weekend band events for my students, I have events for my kids, church events, whew! That has left no time for planning and preparing meals, which contributed to my getting off course. Today I have an entire Saturday at home. I went to Whole Foods yesterday when I was in Nashville and stocked up on ingredients I need for new dishes I want to try and for some of my favorite paleo meals. I am going to batch cook and freeze as much as I can today. The menu includes almond flour muffins (carrot date and pumpkin), almond flour bread, Jamaican beef patties with plantain crust, honey-lime chicken skewers, sausage patties, sneaky liver burgers, and whatever else I have time for and think of. The idea is that on those busy days I can put something in the fridge to thaw in the morning, come home and pop it in the oven to heat up or cook without the prep work. Vegetable sides are easy enough to whip up with little preparation.
I will also whip up some snack bars to have when my sweet tooth needs a little something, such as chocolate-dipped nut bites and energy bars. Thank goodness for dates and honey! The best snack is roasted dates...place pitted butterflied dates on a cookie sheet, drizzle with coconut oil, sprinkle with sea salt and unsweetened coconut flakes and broil until they begin to caramelize. Oh My Goodness!! Be sure to eat them while they are still warm.
It is about time to begin seedlings for my early spring garden, which I find very exciting. I WILL overcome the deer and varmits this year, game on! Even though we are experiencing the coldest winter we have had in thirty years, the days are getting longer, which means spring is getting closer. Healthy green leaf vegetables will go in the ground soon.
Have you got a plan together to become healthier?
