Recipe: Crispy Kale

Image: Nenette's Kale

Now, something you should know about me is that I love chips... potato, veggie, etc. If it's crispy, salty, and deep-fried, I'll want to eat a ton of it. So, I've been on the hunt for a healthier alternative, and no, the baked stuff I've tried doesn't come close... until I found these! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* kale - preferably the curly kind (yes, that's it... see? easy!)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut kale leaves off of the stiff spine, and spread on a cookie sheet in more or less one layer. A little bit of overlapping won't hurt. Bake until edges are a little dry, for about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven. If yours looks anything like the picture, you're there! Sprinkle on a tiny bit of salt as soon as they come out of the oven, if you want to - I personally like them plain.
Let cool for a little while... or you'll burn your mouths like Roomie and I did.

These babies are seriously crispy and addictive, but no worries, they are super healthy. So, I insist you eat lots!

And this time, she means business.

So, the Bikini Bootcamp I'm doing right now (see previous post) is going really well!  Doing another 30-day.  Started last Monday the 15th.  And when I checked on Friday, I found that I had already dropped 7lbs and 8.25" of icky toxic fat.  And it's not just that!  I just look less icky now.

Seriously, have a look at me on Day 10...

Me on cleanse day trying stuff with my phone upstairs while my fam ate dinner.
I'd made chicken piccata.

Note the clear skin, healthy pink glow, the bright shiny coat and the bright eyes.  Look, even my hand's not as puffy!  Begone, Inflammation, you savage bitch!

So yeah, I'm lookin' hot... again.  And it didn't take long either, thanks to Isagenix.  Seriously, I love that I can get back to sexy beast mode so quickly, and become even MORE healthy, with this program.  And when I do indulge, I don't gain back as much weight as I used to.

Just a few weeks ago, I was a little on the, uh, "fluffy" side.  I didn't feel good.  Moving around felt "clunky".  I was wearing the loose tops to hide my growing belly.  I was starting to feel elderly again.  And not in the Raquel Welch kind of elderly.  Which for her, you know, really isn't.

I admit it was my fault.  Even though I had my daily shakes (which gave me energy), I didn't cleanse, so I was toxic.  And I ate crap.

Now, before you get all Judgy Judgerson on me, remember I'm human.  And sometimes, it's just a "Doritos!  All Day!  All The Time!" kind of week day.

But now I'm motivated to change all that because I want to...

• be happy and comfortable in my skin again... no matter how little I wear.  Woo hoo, baby!
• sculpt some kickass muscle and become strong.
• keep up with all the hot moms at zumba class.
• have bounce in my step when I slip on that body-hugging tank top and strut my stuff on stage at recital.
• nip the bad activities in the bud -- like eating crap and becoming a permanent resident of couch-ville -- before they become bad habits.

This time, I want it to stick.  I want it for life.  I want to look and feel good for any eventuality.
Like, if aliens came and threatened to destroy the world if I didn't get into a bikini.  (Hey, it could happen.)  Hot and Healthy Nenette would strap on those itty bitty pieces of fabric without batting an eye.

So, really you could say that I'm getting healthy to save the world.  Like Wonder Woman.  Or Super Grover.  You're welcome.

Now, fitness results come from 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.   I have Isagenix (and no more eating crap) for the 80%.  And last year, that's all I did.

But this time, I need to do the other 20% and build muscle that I lost during the fiasco of 2007, when I took part in a scientific study and took my calories down really low for 8 months, forcing my body to cannibalize my muscle for fuel.  I know.  Gross.  I know better now.

Anyway, I've assembled a team to teach me how to get all hot and healthy.  I'm calling them Team Nenette.
Because I'm all fancy and original like that.

So, who's on Team Nenette?
Well, the beautiful people, of course!  They say surround yourself with people you want to be like, after all.
These folk are the experts.  They show by example.  They are the best at what they do. And They. Get. The. Job. Done.

Isagenix.  Describing this is hard because it's just not one thing.  The clean nutrition.  The fact that there's nothing artificial in any of the products.  The athletic expertise.  The nobel prize winning research.  The science behind each and every product.  The coaches.  And the whole Isa Family, which includes sports nutritionists, doctors, Olympic athletes, professional football players, triathletes, and fitness models... like Oxygen Magazine cover model and Isagenix Millionaire Lori Harder.

Zumba with Yvonne.  The combination of Isagenix and Zumba has been phenomenal!  I know I wouldn't be where I am now if I'd had just one or the other.
Zumba has changed my approach to workouts in both mind and body.  My workouts before were never consistent, but now, I zumba twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.  On days I can't go to class, like the day of Mini's ballet exam, I get really sad and kinda twitchy.  It's unreal.

And now, I HAVE MUSCLE!  Roomie noticed it one evening after dinner.  He touched my leg and made a comment about "hard muscle", but I thought he was trying to perv me so I shoo-ed him away so I could put dishes in the dishwasher.

Anyway, I LOVE Yvonne's classes!  So high-energy, so much fun, dance-y, and so well-structured.  It's like a party at every class!  And she's an incredible example of fitness and health. Look at her in action as she gets a crowd going...

Yvonne has the purple pants and the awesome biceps!  (From Zumba with Yvonne on FB)

Yvonne is an old friend from back in the day.  When our world consisted of nuns, Mr.J's chem class, and uniforms.  And we rocked it like nobody's business!

Hip Hop class with my teacher and friend Chelsea.  Chelsea is a BRILLIANT choreographer.  And I adore her taste in music.  My whole family loves her: she's taught 3 out of 4 of us in our wee clan.  She challenges us to do things that we've never done before -- and look awesome doing it.  Despite the fact I also look like a sweaty hot mess post-class.

The constant new moves means new neural pathways are building like crazy!  And that's great for brain functions too, which is key to overall health, as it counteracts degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.  (Yes, this is a nerd blog too.  You have been warned.)

I don't have a picture of Chelsea in hand, so I can't show you just how beautiful she is.  You'll just have to trust me.  I never lie... at least, when it comes to how beautiful my friends are.

Kimberly Ho.  Kim was my very first ever personal trainer.  She's actually moved out of town to be with her fiance, but in the short time she trained me, I experienced some really quick, noticeable changes in my body.  With her, I learned that lifting heavy doesn't make you Ms. Incredible Hulk, it makes you sexy.

She's still on Team Nenette because I still read her blog for tips, I still incorporate her workouts in my newly-reintroduced lifting routine, and I'm still in her Team Sexy.  :)

Check her out in this pic I stole from her FB page...  shh... don't tell Kim...  heeheehee...  also, I want her arms...

So, that's my team!

Do you have your own team?  What are you planning to do for your own health and fitness?

my Isagenix cleanse: it's like I'm a totally different woman.

"You glow!"  "So slim!"  "You're skin is so clear."  "You look SO much healthier..."

Yes, my Life Candy peeps, I got all of those compliments -- and more! -- thanks to my first ever Isagenix Nutritional Cleanse.

OMG, I wish I could tell you exactly how awesome it's been.  I'm going to try.  And I'm INCREDIBLY EXCITED about all of this, so I may just start to sound like some crazy televangelist.  If I do, please don't hurt me.  Or hate me.  Or throw chips and cinnamon buns at me, because I won't eat them, and they'll just make a big mess on my floor.

Okay, here we go.

BEFORE

I'm nervous.  Seriously, as I contemplate pushing the "Publish" button, I can't feel my legs.  And the reason is because I'm showing something I've always hidden.  This is like me saying "Okay, and here's my boobs."  Seriously baring all, people.

And it may shock some people who know me.  Or think they knew me.  You see, before I did this cleanse, everyone thought I was "just fine", "normal looking", and "didn't have to lose any weight".

No, I was never 200 lbs.  But when your doctor strongly suggests you do a cleanse, you're likely not the slim healthy waif everyone seems to think you are.

So, with all those misconceptions, the sight of my Before pic may come as a shock.  Or cause a coronary.  You may want to have a paramedic nearby.

Okay.  Go ahead -- you'll see what I mean...

- No matter what I did (the exercising and healthy eating), the weight kept climbing and climbing and wouldn't come off!
- Excess belly fat (from the side, I looked about 8 months pregnant) and swollen hands and feet.
- These were the size 7 jeans I wore shortly after Lam was born 10 years ago, and now I couldn't even button them!
- I was in a constant brain fog.
- Always tired.  Highly dependent on caffeine (green tea) and sugar for energy.
- Sleep was never restful and I always felt exhausted in the morning.
- Felt and looked older.  People stopped saying I look younger than my age.
- Dull dark complexion.
- Doesn't my head look tiny compared to the rest of my body?
- Unable to handle stressful situations.
- Accomplishing the simplest tasks seemed to take so much effort.
- I was just trying to get through each day, merely existing.  I wasn't living.

AFTER

Total weight loss: 15 lbs
Total inches dropped: 18.25 inches

- I fit into my size 7 jeans again!
- I get second glances from guys again... even though I'm old enough to be their mother!  :)
- Skin is glowing, clear and soft!  One of my besties RMF even said so!
- Can now wear my wedding ring and Iron Ring that I couldn't wear since 2009.
- SO MUCH ENERGY!  One week into the program, I had the energy to do workouts, volunteer at my kids' school, and even consider opening up my hula dance school again!
- Stressful situations don't throw me off as they used to.
- Feel calm and mellow (except, of course, when my kids act like monkeys on uppers.  Armed with boxing gloves.  And spears.).
- Above and beyond the notable physical change has been the mental shift.  It's like someone took my brain, spit-shined it (in the most hygienic way possible, of course), snapped it back in place, and threw some Tabasco® sauce on it.  It burns!  It burns!... but in a good way because I feel alive again.
- I've removed as many existing commitments and time-wasters as I could, surrounding myself only with people and activities that uplift me.
- I take care of my appearance more -- wearing makeup, doing my nails, shopping -- because I feel I'm worth it.
- I have healthy habits.  I crave healthy stuff like salad, fish, and slow cooked lean meat.  I drink a ton of water now.  I'm more active now, taking dance class and arranging to meet up with a personal trainer.  I EAT LESS!

And now the whole fam has gotten in on the act!  Lam has a chocolate-vanilla shake in the morning.  Mini loves the energy drink for electrolytes when she dances.  Also, Roomie himself has a shake right after every run, and it supports his muscle growth and recovery!  This program is really great for athletes!

Now, I'm off to buy a belt for my already skinny jeans...  :)

*Click here to check out this program*

THANK YOU

More than anything else, I'd like to thank Roomie, the kids, my family, friends, fellow-Isapeeps, and coaches -- especially my dear friend Sly who got me on this in the first place -- for all of your love and support through this incredible journey.  Especially the friends and family who cheered me on and stood by me even though they had no idea what I was even doing.  Your trust in me -- that I was smart enough to do the research and choose what was best for myself -- meant so much.
You all had a part in my better health and my quest to be around long enough to play with my great-grandkids!  :)

Well, folks, that's my story!  If you want to do it too, just send me an email, and I'll hook you up and help you through it all from the beginning to the end of your journey.  Or you can check out all the products and even sign up online through this link.  I'll be there with you to answer questions, give you tips, and hold your hand if need be.

Stay well, my darling readers.  (Back to regularly scheduled awesomeness...)

*Click here to check out this program*

vendredi gras: the night before my cleanse.

Tonight, I celebrated what I call the Grand Finale of a week long "Big Binge".  I went to Yujiro Sushi Restaurant with two of my gorgeous besties, and had a Deluxe Special Bento.  It was a lovely relaxed evening of baby talk -- my cousin Glo on the right is expecting -- and lots of good food.  Here we are in front of the destruction...

For this past week, I've been diving head-first into Holiday Celebrations, feasting like a starved woman at a banquet.  Ham, turkey, chocolates, chips, cupcakes... you name it -- as long as "it" contains sugar and/or fat -- I've eaten it.  See?  Like these things...

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CANNOLI!!!

I'm sure I've already gained 10 pounds.  It's been seriously disgusting.

Why have I completely let myself go like this?  Aren't I afraid my already high cholesterol and sleep apnea will finally kill me in my sleep?  Don't I care about my health? 

Yes, darlings, of course I still care, but there is a reason for my madness.  I enjoyed myself in a big ridiculous way this Christmas because, tomorrow, I'm starting a cleanse -- the Isagenix 30-Day Cleanse. 

Why I'm Cleansing

I get a lot of compliments from my awesome friends along the lines of "Nenette, you're crazy!  You don't need to lose any weight!"  Clearly, they have never seen me naked.  I camouflage well, baby!

But really, my doctor told me I needed to do a cleanse to help get various nonsense out of my body.

I'd been complaining to her of:
- difficulty sleeping.
- foggy brain.
- trouble concentrating.
- weird and disruptive moods.
- inability to relax and stay calm.
- concerns about heart health negatively influenced by family history.
- intense monthly discomfort with heavy bleeding that a previous doctor performed surgery on me... which ultimately did no good, because the root problem had not been addressed.
- difficult maintaining a healthy weight, bodyfat, and size.

A cleanse might help, she said.  Okay.

Why I Chose Isagenix.

1: It gets the thumbs up from fitness professionals.Back in September, Roomie's cousin, Ainsley McSorley, an award winning fitness competitor and model, shared her Isagenix experience.  As a fitness professional, she's very careful about the things she puts into her body.  She was using Isagenix to prepare for a photo shoot. She loved it -- and she looked great!

2:  It works for "normal" non-fitness-pro people.
My girlfriend Sly loved the energy she had through her 30 days, and in the end, lost 20lbs.  And my cousin Glo and her husband got great results as well. 

3:  It is a nutritional cleanse.
So, I did a ton of research.  (I'm a skeptic by nature.)  And everything I've read has shown me that Isagenix is different.  As it draws out the crap, it brings in -- through its shakes, snacks, and supplements -- the good stuff in the form of highly-absorbable vitamins and minerals.

4:  It does most of the work for you.
Other cleanses tell you to eat well while taking their herbs.  Well, I don't know how to eat well -- that's how I got into this mess in the first place.
On the other hand, Isagenix takes care of everything you eat for the month, with the exception of 5 meals per week, so you can focus on cleansing.  Glo told us that, by the end of it, you would've kicked your cravings, making healthy eating so much easier.

I have to admit that I'm really excited to start!!!  I pre-cleanse tomorrow, a slow introduction that prepares the body for the actual cleanse which, for me, starts on Monday.  I'll be documenting my experience starting then.  I will try to do a video everyday.

Can I do it?  Will I last all 30 days?  Or will I freak out and scream at Roomie at 3am to go to 7-11 and buy me a bag of Doritos?  Let's see!  This should be fun.

Wish me luck!

* - Disclaimer: These are my reasons, no one else's.   I'm not an expert on anyone else's body -- just my own.

rebuilding the temple: so, Nenette, did you minimize yo' butt?

And... it's done.

Yes, dear readers, I actually did it.  As of August 31, I completed the 6-week Minimize Yo' Butt Challenge.  For a month and a half, I focused on getting all hot and healthy by eating primarily Paleo/Primal and moving my bum more.

Were you all wondering if I'd actually gone through with it?  It's okay.  I'd wonder too if I were you.  I did, after all, drop the "Me With" Photo Project as if it was all covered in peanut butter and red ants.  Yes, I hate peanut butter.  Probably more than I hate red ants.

And I haven't given an update since, well, the beginning.

But now it's done, and I'll now quickly share with you my results, conclusions, and things I've learned.

1: I lost 6 pounds.  

2: I didn't exercise, because I really hate exercising with others around to (in the case of the kids) interrupt me and (in the case of Roomie) stare at me. 

3: I ate paleo about 80% of the time, and it was easy when I focused on the stuff I was able to eat versus the things I wasn't allowed to eat.

4: I ate treat foods (like soft ice cream, chips, and burgers) 20% of the time and made it a point to enjoy them and not feel so guilty.  This put the focus, instead, on how physically crappy I felt the day after.

5: I aimed to eat 3 times a day: breakfast at around 7:00am, lunch at about 1:00pm, and dinner at 6:00pm-ish, which I managed to do about 70% of the time,...

6: ... because snacking will make me overeat, so I didn't do it.  Especially after dinner.  

7: And yet I was rarely ever hungry, because I stuck to mostly proteins.

8: Plus, I wasn't thinking about food, and my next meal, all the time.

9: After about 2 days of no grains, I stopped craving carbs.

10: The idea of eating carbs kinda makes me ill now.  It feels wrong and unnatural to do it.

11: My belly is becoming more mushy as the fat melts away.  Ew.  Okay, I know this is a good thing, but OMG, it's very disturbing.  Particularly when I run or jump up and down. 

12: Because my belly is less fat-dense, my jeans fit more easily.

13: ... and when I suck in, my belly actually does look a little flatter.

14:  I made a bigger effort in simplifying my life (more on this in another post), and focused on my family and fixing up our home instead of work.

15: ... and many of my anxiety issues have greatly diminished.

16: My skin cleared up, but that could also be because I'm actually caring for my skin these days.

17: Because I didn't fully commit to regular updates (at least I don't think I did... did I?), I wasn't constantly stressing about staying on a program.  It became a lifestyle.

So, all in all, I didn't sweat it, enjoyed it, and lost weight.  Yay me!

I think I've found my new permanent way of eating for life.  Again, yay me!

Stay tuned for the next Rebuilding the Temple complete with food thoughts, weight loss updates, and pics of the things I eat.  No, this will not turn into a food blog... you will still get updates on things like my kids, my hair... and women problems and stuff.

I know, you can barely contain your excitement!  :)

rebuilding the temple: complete overhaul. (Minimize Yo' Butt)

Anxiety attacks truly suck.

I know because I've had them.  Recently.  In the middle of the night.  When I really should've been asleep and dreaming of my husband or my pretend boyfriend Gerard Butler.  Or cheesecake.

No big surprise though.  I've not been taking care of myself.  You see, I've been much too busy.  The "I haven't had time to go to the bathroom and put it off so long I actually forgot I had to go" type of busy.

You know.  You read my last post, right?

Then, when I take on too much, I get stressed.  When I get stressed, I fall back on old familiar patterns and coping mechanisms.

And unfortunately, my coping mechanisms include...
- the sugar-, cream-, and caffeine-charged Timmie's iced capps (which are definitely my weapon of choice in the 36C heat of late) -- yummy, but OMG, SO UNHEALTHY!
- Starbuck's mocha coconut frappucino -- which I can at least order decaf... with, um, extra whip.  Stop laughing.
- going to bed at 11 with my laptop trying to "catchup", instead of going to bed at 9 with a deliciously smutty romance novel and drifting off to sleep with images of hot bodice-ripping dudes dancing in my brain.
- pandesal, cheese pizza, rye toast with grape jam, too much rich and RICE... lots and lots of rice... because, you know, filipina.
- and so on, and so on, and so on... ahem...

Stress, crappy food, no rest, and the no-time-to-vent-via-blog thing all make Nenette something something.

Yes, "go crazy".  My old symptoms of short-tempered-ness, exhaustion, brain-fog, weight gain, insomnia, bad skin, and menstrual problems ARE. STILL. HERE.  Now with added anxiety attacks!  Don't I sound HAWT?!

My naturopath Dr. C is going to give me the gears next week because she made me promise to eat right, exercise, decrease stressors and relax more in order for my adrenals to heal.  And clearly I haven't been doing any of that... 

Until now...

I'll be working on decreasing stressors shortly, and until I do, I won't be relaxing much.  So, that leaves, eating right and exercising.  And that I can do.

Oh look!  I have been!

For the past week, I've joined Faith, Jenny, Rachel, Travis, and the whole life-improvement gang to kick our asses into shape and get healthy through Faith's Minimize Yo' Butt 6-week Fitness Challenge.

Goal: Lose 10 pounds.  I want to lose 20 in total, but 10 is good for 6 weeks.

How: Starting July 18, I have been eating as Paleo/Primal as I can by cutting out:

• grains... bread, pasta, etc.  (I had 1 bowl of Chocolate Cheerios on Monday.  Too sweet!)
• all sweeteners, except some honey.
• carby veggies like potatoes.
• legumes.
• dairy... cheese, milk, etc.  (I had greek yogurt once this past week though.)

I've been focusing on eating beef, pork, fish, poultry, and lots of vegetable matter.  Water and green tea only as beverages... and lots of it!

For exercise, I'll be doing intervals and body weight workouts... which I hope to start doing soon... you know, time permitting.

Yes, I've done this before... so many, many, manymanymany times before, but this time I'm thinking of it as a complete lifestyle change, something I can continue through all seasons and not just during the summer.  I can do it with my family, by just making bread/rice/pasta available for the non-primals.

Oh, and this time, I've got a BEFORE shot!  AAACK!!!

I can do this.  Totally.  I can.  Really.

I'll update often.  Stay tuned.

rebuilding the temple - month 2: reaching the limit.

I pack fat on my body in this order...

1: belly
2: back
3: busom
4: face

Usually when I get to "4:", aka Stay-Puft-Marshmallow-Man face, I'm feeling tired, sickly, uncomfortable, and foggy-brained on a daily basis.

And it sneaks up on me.  I think I'm all hot and shit, then -- BAM! -- I look like I should be stomping down the streets of New York in my gigantic puffy feet to the sweet sound of Ray Parker Jr.

Anyway, that's the limit.  That's when I know I have to stop, regroup, and do The Usual, ie. things I do to stop feeling like crap...

1: Cut out sugar, wheat products (breads, pasta, cakes, etc.) and other grains.
2: Cut out dairy (milk, cheese, etc.).
3: Drink water and green tea only.
4: Eat only 3 meals per day.
5: No snacking after dinner.
6: Eat more veggies and fruit.
7: Dance hula almost every day.
8: Do weights at least twice a week.

And way back in my 20s and 30s, all I had to do was "1:", and I was back to my hot awesome self in no time. You know, like this...

Sadly, these days, I have to do ALL those things, and it usually takes much longer to achieve goal thanks to my current health issues and, well, age. 

Which freaks me out because I have to look all hot and goddess-y by June 4!!!

That, my dear friends, is the day of Mini's dance recital at the Centennial Concert Hall.

And, heaven help me, it's also the day that I will be dancing the *Mom & Me* number with Mini at the very same dance recital.  At the same ginormous Centennial Concert Hall.  In front of a bajillion people.

This is SO. NOT. GOOD.

Because kick my ass and call me soccer ball, I NOW look like this...

... which -- you can't deny it, people -- also looks frighteningly close to...

Hold me.

rebuilding the temple - month 1: choke hold.

Lost (Total): 2 pounds

Okay, how many times do I say "Haven't lost any weight -- didn't work out consistently -- ate a tub of lard in protest" before you want to unsubscribe, give up on me, hunt me down to scream at me, stab me in the face, or all of the above?

Let's see, shall we?!

Kidding!  I'm truly not that foolish.  So, I've decided to loosen the choke hold on this project and just update once a month -- on the 1st Fridays.  I'm doing this for several reasons:

1: I visited my ND this week, and based on her observations, she told me to pull back on the things that make this Get Healthy journey stressful.  Reporting that I've done nothing on the exercise front -- even when it's because I've been too ill to even walk to the bathroom without screaming bloody murder from the aches and pains of the flu -- was starting to give me heart palpitations.

2: This is a total lifestyle change, and I've found that when I need to do that, I can't ***MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT!!!***  See me making a big deal out of it there?  The weekly updates are a form of me doing that.  So yeah, I can't do that anymore.  Oddly enough, if I want this to stick, I need to be subtle, almost have it sneak up on me.  I know, I'm a freak.

3: I have a couple of other projects that need my focus more right now.  Reporting on this just adds to the brain clutter, and simplifying my life is one of the side projects here that I'll be pulling into the limelight and making into a prime blog focus.

4: It's starting to become an obsession offline.  And I know that when I'm freaking about every little thing I'm eating and getting down on myself for not exercising because "OMG, what am I going to tell my darling readers?!", I've got to pull back.

5: I don't want to bore you all with the same ol' same-old.

The important thing to remember here, folks, is that I'm still going to live healthfully and make my lifestyle changes.

I'm just not going to report them as often.

So, until the 1st of April, I'm going to continue to eat properly, continue to detox, continue to fit in my 100 pushups workouts, and continue to dance hula and do intervals alternately every day.

See?  I'm growing and accepting.  And I feel like I've lost 5 pounds of stress already.  :) 

rebuilding the temple - week 3: push, push, in the... well, you know.

Lost (Week 3): 0 lbs.
Lost (Total) : 2 lbs. 

Hey, darling readers, as I said in yesterday's post, I've been sick.  Again.  I know.  It totally sucks donkey balls, but here I am.  I didn't get sick at all in January and the beginning of February, so perhaps I'm just trying to catch up.  Ha!  Yeah, okay, totally not funny.  Especially since I'm coughing like a 5-pack-a-day smoker.

My energy is already plummeting too low for me to put effort into good meals.  I foresee lots of fruit in my sick future.

And it only follows that I don't have the energy for working out.  Which, again, sucks because exercise is the factor that I haven't included in the program... AT. ALL.  And yes, I too suck.

You see, I know what to do and what works for me:  weights, hula, push ups, squats, yoga, intervals.  It's just a matter of doing it.

I recently asked my girlfriends on FB to tell me what they do for workouts, and they came back with what they did and how often they did it.  OMG, INSPIRATION!!!  My girls are workout mavens, taking care of their bodies, making me realize that I REALLY need to get off my butt.

So, with the eating/nutrition crunching along well, my focus -- as soon as I get better -- will be my workouts.

What I'll be doing/starting this week:

Hold me.

rebuilding the temple - week 2: hit me with your best shot...

... because I have dairy, bitch.

Lost (Week 2): 0 lbs.
Lost (Total) : 2 lbs. 

See this?

It's a very small block (0.75 inch cubed) of Wensleydale cheese.  I took a picture of it because as soon as I finish this post, I will be eating it.  I plan to look at the picture and remember how tasty it was after it's gone.

No, that's not weird.  Really, it's not.  Really.

You see, folks, it's that time.  And I've learned that during this incredibly powerful time in a woman's month, I should not deny myself anything, especially foods on my "Don't" list.  Otherwise, all and sundry will learn just how powerful I truly am.  Seriously, asses will be kicked if I don't get my pavlova the second after I deem I should have one.

Great.  Now I want one.
But seriously, I've even eaten bread.  Oh, the horror!

Anyway, I've been doing just that these past few days, and It's worked for my mental state.  And you know, I've not gained any weight.  (I've not lost any either, but I didn't expect to anyway.)

What I'll be doing this week:

- weights and hula... I couldn't do this last week because I spent most of my time in the fetal position on my couch.  Advil was my secret lover.
- no snacking... This is working.  I'm not even all that hungry during the times I'd normally snack.  It's unreal.
- drink only water and green tea... my body's been craving water a lot more lately.  I'm not even trying to drink more!  That too is unreal.
- no bread, dairy, pasta... Need to be more consistent with this.

Onward...

rebuilding the temple - week 1: hunger and NOT eating my children.

Lost: 2 lbs.  (I don't plan to measure my bodyfat until week 4.)

I did it.  For the whole week, I didn't snack.  I ate 3 complete meals per day.

And for the first 2 days, it was freakin' TORTURE!  Until I was forced to face it, I hadn't really realized how much I snacked, how much I was a slave to my "I'm feeling peckish"-ness.  The kids were starting to look like lovely little lamb chops.  It was close.

Really, just look how tasty cute these two look.  Okay, it's an old shot.  They're less plump and juicy loving toward each other these days.

Anyway...
But when my body would scream "I'M HUNGRY!", I'd scream back "Shut it!  You're not.  Here's some green tea, baby."  And you know, the green tea worked.  It was lovely.

The only thing I dropped the ball on was getting my workouts in.  I need to do some serious muscle-building, and I didn't do anything that remotely looked like muscle-building.  Maybe muscle-not-losing.  But that's it.

And now, I'm sick.  Thanks, Mini.  And I always gain weight when I get sick.  My appetite goes up not down.  But I will prevail.

What to do this week:
- no snacking.
- no dairy.
- no bread or pasta.
- weights/resistance workouts.
- hula/walks.
- intervals/yoga.

... pretty much same as last week.

rebuilding the temple - week 0: ready, set, .... oh, wait.

Weekly updates for my temple rebuild have been moved to Mondays from Fridays, but for this inaugural week, I'm updating on Sunday night.  :)

When starting a new project, I do either one of two things: (1) research and research and research... then lose steam and never actually do it, (2) jump in uninformed, half-assed... or whole-assed, depending on your POV.

The last time I did this, I did #2. (Heeheehee, "#2"... and once again, I'm a 12 year old boy.)

Really, read those links, and you'll see how scattered I was.  No plan.  No ideas.  No starting stats.  Nothing.

But not this time. 

So, now, I bare my soul and all the ugliness that surrounds and insulates it.  This is a MAJOR DEAL, my lovelies, because it's still February here in Canada, and I can just continue to pretend that I'm really hiding the body of Sofia Vergara under the parka and sweaters.

Seriously, can someone please make me look like her? [overoll.com]

But again, no.

So now I foolishly bravely share what I'm really hiding... and because showing a BEFORE picture of me after that picture of Sofia would be like slapping your face after baking you a cake (yes, that totally makes sense), I'm just giving you my metrics.

Deep breath... and go:

Height: 5' 3.5" - this likely won't change... although, I've thought for a long time that I'm 5'4", but before my surgery last year, I was measured to be half an inch shorter.  Good grief, I'm only 41!  Am I already shrinking?  On the WRONG AXIS?!  Nope, I'm not going to think about that.

Weight: 138 lbs. - I'd like to lose 18-20 pounds, but I'm more flexible with this because of, you know, muscle-mass, bodyfat, etc.  Before you get all judgy judgerson on me, remember I KNOW MY BODY and I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH.  I'm doing this to become healthy, not to endanger my life trying to reach some sort of "magazine ideal".

Bodyfat: 34% - not taken by calipers but calculated from here so it's not exact.  But holy crap, according to this chart, I'm obese.  Say WHAT?!  Anyway, I'm shooting for 21% bodyfat, which means I should come down to 120 pounds.  Sounds 'bout right.

Bust: 38 inches - it would be nice if I'm not a walking Russ Meyer movie... just down a cup size or two would be fine.



Waist: 38 inches - I'd like this to be less than my bust size at least... 25 inches ideally, but I'll take what I can get.


Bicep: 12 inches - I'd like to get rid of the wings.

Good grief, now I wonder why did I bold them all?!  I wanted to highlight them, but holy hannah, I might as well put up a neon sign that says: "LOOK AT ME!  I'M CHUNKY!!!"

So, let's get UN-chunky!

What I'm doing this week:

1: 3 meals/day - no snacking, no grazing, no 5/6 meals/day like the "experts" command.  they've all made me gain weight in the past.  I over-eat, and my blood sugar gets all wonky.
2: Zen tea only at Starbucks and water or green tea at home.
3: Avoid sugar.  no Treat Day for me.
4: Exercise - hot yoga (Wednesday/Sunday), weights (Thursday/Monday), and intervals/hula (Friday/Tuesday).
5: Continue to take greens+ and supplements.  I'll go into detail in  future post.

Okay, that's it for now.  Small changes.  Wish me luck!

rebuilding the temple 2011: top 10 things I can do without.

... Estrogen Dominance and Adrenal Fatigue...

According to my ND, Dr.C, that's what's been causing all my health issues.  Isn't she amazing?!  I'm glad I found her.  She's nothing like my ob/gyn, whose solutions were to scrape me out (unnecessarily), and if that didn't work, set my uterus on fire.  Let's face it -- it was like having Mike Tyson suggest he give you a c-section.  Or a vasectomy.

But that's all in the past, and now I have Dr.C who has put me back on the road to Super Girl-hood.  She said that all I have to do is...

- lose weight... because bodyfat holds and produces excess estrogen.
- eat organic... because non-organic food introduces carcinogenic/estrogenic/poisonous pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, etc. into our system.
- exercise... to help balance my hormones, and generally keep me healthy.
- remove stress from my life... to heal my adrenals.

And I have to do this, because if I continue down the road I was on to get this way, my body will simply shut down!  ACK!

So, I'm back to Rebuilding the Temple once again.  Except this time, I'll be doing it at my own pace.  I'll be posting an update every Friday Mondays. (Updated Feb 13/11)

Now, to kick off my new body reconstruction, I present my Top 10 Things I Can Do Without, which  I found on Bruna's Bees With Honey blog, who got it from Katie's Sluiter Nation blog.

I have to admit that there are a lot of things that I'm better off without, because it's not about deprivation -- it's about keeping the crap out of the temple, right?!

Okay, here we go.  Here's my list with a health twist:

1: winter...
One of the things Dr.C told me to do was walk for half an hour each day.  Tropical-girl here doesn't want to walk outside in the winter, so my walks are currently of a side-to-side nature, instead of forward.  Yeah, hula.  Indoors.  Where I pretend it's not winter.
Also, I believe winter has no business sticking around after Christmas.

2: excess bodyfat...
I'm supposed to have 24% bodyfat... I currently have 14% a little more than that.

3: dairy...
I get all sinus infection-y after I have milk, ice cream, and other dairy products.  Cheese too!  Makes me sad because I can no longer have Wensleydale.  :(
But I feel great without it!  And now, when I try milk, it just tastes 'cow' to me.  Moo.

4: caffeine...
Since trying to eliminate my stress, I've not needed this stuff to get me going.  I sleep better at night, and I'm well-rested.  It's like when I was in 'training' for pregnancy.

5: decaf soy half-sweet caramel macchiatos... with whip...
Sad thing is I just found this!  But, yeah, I don't need this wonderfully tasty concoction.  I don't.  I don't.  I don't.  I don't.  Really, I don't.

6: sugar...
I'm insulin resistant.  Sugar is bad for me.  It makes me fat.  I need to stay away from it.  I can stay away from it.  Thing is, it's going to be HARD because I've got a sweet tooth.  I love pavlova, sweet chocolate, cheese cake, ice cream, sponge toffee...  what was I saying again?

7: stress...
Life is stressful.  Worrying about kids.  The mortgage.  Home renos.  Health issues.  Annoying people.  OH SO MANY annoying people.  I can definitely do without all that, but sometimes, it's so SO hard to not feel so stabby...

8: carbs...
I can literally (yes, LITERALLY) feel myself getting fat when I eat bread.  And pasta.  And fried rice.  OMG, glorious garlic mashed potatoes too!  I don't need it, oh, but I'd willingly slather it all over my body, it's so tasty!

9: caloric drinks...
I'm talking sweetened drinks like pop, juice, coffee (which I can't drink without some type of sweetener), iced tea, etc.  Water and green tea is perfect for me.  I wonder if there's a way to de-calorify those decaf soy half-sweet caramel macchiatos.

10: cardio...
I'm talking jogging/running, and everything about it.  The sweating.  The pain.  The fact that I have to wear a bra made of freakin' steel to prevent the bounce.  I'm sticking to intervals/tabata, walks, and hula.  They're still painful, but not as long and evil.  Nor bouncy.

What are the 10 things you can do without?

day 45 of 90: cleanses blow goats.

Don't forget to head over and leave a comment on my 3rd Blog Anniversary Extravaganza for a chance to get your own NenetteAM original knit scarf!

+++

Lost: 6lbs.

Halfway through my FatBet. Only 6 pounds lost. My fat is laughing at me. "Ha-ha! You thought you could get rid of me! Bahahaha!" See? My fat is so hurtful and not loving. Jerk.

But it hasn't been a very easy and supportive 6 weeks. I've had to deal with a superbad period, 3 weeks of surgery and recovery that was meant to solve the superbad periods but didn't (oh, yeah, more on that in another post), and Thanksgiving dinner with the most awesome-and-evil stuffing.

My post-surgery, purge-my-body-of-hospital-drugs, my-bathroom-is-my-best-friend herbal cleanse helped me lose 3 pounds.

Ah, yes, my cleanse. Here's what I observed...

.: Cramped up a lot the first 4 days.
.: Day 5, Realized that cramping will stop if I fill up my tummy. Wish I'd realized that earlier.
.: Missed dairy. In yogurt form. A lot.
.: Cheated a couple of times. With pumpkin pie. It was yummy.
.: Bad things came out of my pores. As said before, smelled like a hobo. It was wrong... so, so wrong.
.: Felt clearheaded and alert. It was nice. Then Thanksgiving hit.
.: Was positive I'd lost 10 pounds. Nope. Only 3. Made me sad.

It's all okay, though. It's all good. And I'm feeling optimistic.
Especially now that I've received the thumbs-up from my gynecologist to start working out again.

I have 6 more weeks to this challenge, and as long as I'm good on my birthday (Nov 5th!), I should make goal by the end of this FatBet... and avoid the penalty of wearing one of those horrible holiday sweaters in public. Because, baby, there's no lookin' hot in one of those!

The things I need to focus on:
+ more water
+ back to workouts: hula/HIIT/Tabata/etc.
+ no more dairy

Onward.

day 30 of 90: will this stuff also cleanse the gutter that is my mind?

Net lost: 3 pounds

Yeah, "net" loss. About 2 days after my surgery, I stepped on the scale and found I'd gained 6 pounds! 6 POUNDS!!!
Okay, my FatBet girls suggested that it might be water-retention from all the surgery and pain meds, which was so reassuring, but boy, did those numbers throw me for a loop!

Then, as planned, I started a cleanse/detox on September 29. Which means I'm on Day 3 of the cleanse. See? I told you I'd blog about math-y things.
I've done these cleanse-y things before, and I've read that it's always a good idea to especially do one after surgery to help purge the body of all the drugs and junk. This time, I'm doing the Wild Rose D-Tox by Canadian herbalist Dr. Terry Willard Ph.D.


Thing is it comes with a meal plan that you MUST FOLLOW to be successful. Yeah. Right.
Anyway, I'm already eating healthily so I'm just adding the herbals. The world hasn't kersploded, so I'm sticking to it.

So, what have I felt so far? Here are the top 3...

1: I'm having a seriously skeevy "stink like a hobo" situation! Gross. Something's coming out of my pores, and it's not the smell of roses and cinnamon buns.

2: I am always on the lookout for the nearest bathroom. This is a cleanse after all.

3: I've lost 7 pounds! Probably mostly water, but it's very motivating because it signals the start of fat loss.

All expected. So far, so good.

day 15 of 90: the temple and the monthly visit

Lost: 2 pounds

Thing is, I know I could've lost more. But I didn't because of one thing: Aunt Flo. Yes, folks, this one, once again, is about my menstrual cycle. I know, you've missed these kinds of posts. It's the reason why you tune in. Of course.

But really, it's hard to exercise, when you're in so much pain that all you can do is curl up in the fetal position on the couch and moan.

It's hard to shake the weight, when your body wants to retain every ounce of water it gets its grubby little hands on.

It's hard to stay primal, when your carb-craving brain is screaming "Eat that rye toast or I'll stab you in the face!"

For 7 bloody days. Literally. I know, ew. Sorry.

So, yeah, 2 pounds was all I could drop. And even that was hard won.

But I'm hoping that'll all change. In exactly one week.

On the 23rd, I'll be having day-surgery to remove the polyps which are allegedly the cause of my monthly woes. General anesthetic. D&C. No overnight stay. But perhaps some morphine. Or Tylenol 3.
Mmm... painkillers...

Anyway, not sure where my FatBet will be as a result, but I plan to do a cleanse shortly after the surgery to get the bad anesthetic stuff and drugs out of my system.

Maybe my bodyfat will get the hint and follow along. Wish me luck!

toast of much evilness

16 in 90. because mama needs new threads.

Yesterday, I declared that -- between September 1 and November 30 -- I, Nenette, will lose 16 pounds. At least. Maybe more. Because I want to be able to kick Jillian's ass for a change.

Oh, no, sweeties, this isn't just an empty declaration, or a repeat of the old ways. I actually put money on it. I made a FatBet!

My primal sistah AndreAnna dared us, her girlfriends, to reach our get-hot-n-healthy goals in 90 days.
Oh, yeah. She was all "Come on, Bitches!!! Get with this thing! YOU. CAN. DO. IT!!!" Then she threatened to come to our houses and rip our heads off if we didn't join! I know! I was all scared and stuff! So, I joined because, dang, Iowa and Manitoba? Practically neighbours, people! Okay, not really, but I'm not risking a head ripping!

Seriously though, AndreAnna serendipitously gave me the plan I really need right now. Evil sweet-n-carby treats invade my home and set up camp this time of year, so I can use any support/asskicking I can get!

.: Goal!
My goal is to lose 16 pounds by Day 90, which is about 5 pounds per month. I can do that reasonably without looking like Skeletor in the end.

.: Accept the challenge.
Okay, this was probably the toughest part for me. Because it means -- gasp! -- a commitment! But I did it, and joined a great bunch of chikas.

.: Put my money where my mouth is.
Every participant puts $50US into the pot, and everyone who hits goal by Day 90 shares the pot. Now this part was surprisingly easy. Until I got to the exchange rate. Because, yo, I'm in Canada, and 50US is like 5 bajillion dollars Canadian!!!
Then, I figured, when I reach goal, the exchange will work in my favour! Besides, I'm going to earn it. Whoo-chow!!!

.: Report periodically.
We use FatBet and Flickr to update the rest of the group of our progress.

.: Reap the Rewards.
Or at least avoid pain. Pain is a great motivator. In this case, it's the pain of being out $50US and being forced to wear an "awful holiday sweater out to dinner or a party - something public". Which will be even harder because I don't even own one! Gah!

Anyway, I'm jazzed to see my transformation. And yeah, I'll be taking you along for the ride. Wish me luck!

rebuilding the temple. a post *not* about my kitchen/familyroom reno. that's for another post. maybe tomorrow.

This is a picture of me NOT at 140.

It is however a picture of me in my new vest that my darling daughter tried to dissuade me from buying. Oh, she thought Mommy looked "very nice" in it, but since I told her that I didn't want to spend any money that day, she did all she could to be helpful.
Seriously, she was chasing me around the store, "No, Mama! Don't buy it! Don't buy it!", screaming like a cute, tiny banshee. Hm. I wonder who she got that from.

But, as you can see, I bought it anyway, and Mini learned that her mother has very little willpower.

Where was I? Oh, yeah, 140. I topped 140 not long ago. Not a good thing, when...

.: you are a small-boned 5'4"
.: you've been told you are healthiest at around 115-120 (and you feel it too)
.: you were diagnosed with insulin resistance
.: you have borderline high cholesterol
.: you're trying to get all hot and bikini-ready for the summer

And I know many of you are saying "What? 140 isn't bad!". Well, it is, when about 38% of it is fat. When you feel like crap. When your sarong-wearing self is struttin' all hot-n-sexy down the beach boardwalk at Spruce Woods, sucking in your gut, and daring everyone the entire time with your evil eye to ask you when your "baby" is due!

But look, there's less of me now! I'm not sure what I weigh at the mo'. I'm not sure I want to check. All I know is that I feel good and can now wear some of my favourite t-shirts without looking like a stuffed eggroll. Or a certain wallet that will go nameless.

How, Nenette? How are you doing it?

I've gone Primal, baby! It's basically how I used to eat when I lost weight and got heathy in 2006 doing CRON -- low carb/high nutrition -- but without the calorie restriction. In a nutshell, primal eating means no grains, no starchy carbs, no sugar. And No. Tracking. Calories.

Just quality protein, veggies, fruit, healthy fats, and dairy in yogurt form only. (At least for me. Other primal folk use other forms of dairy as well.)

My sugar addiction is gone, and my appetite is nowhere near the Feed Me NOW! it was before. This, I can do, sustain, and not be afraid that my son will "type my lunch on the computer just like Mama". Yeah, that actually happened. Frightening.

Anyway, if you're curious to go primal too, check these...

.: Mark's Daily Apple - the BEST Primal How-To blog around.
.: Primal Matriarch - the lovely and delicious AndreAnna shares some frickin' tasty recipes and some valuable insight into her Primal journey.
.: Primal Toad - Todd's casual style and desire to create a community of like-minded folk makes Primal living easy, approachable, and fun.

For more Primal goodness, check out more of the blogs in my Daily Treats blogroll in the side bar.

"it's like being in a swamp; you gotta get out of that place..."

When describing ways to solve circuits, my Electronic's professor would often waver between bizarre "what's he talking about?" statements like our title and other more-offensive analogies, like the infamous '2 diodes in cascade' as "you do the mother, you do the daughter -- it's the same damn thing". Yeah. Ass.

Anyway, a "swamp" really is the perfect description of what I've been through the past year.

So, about 3 weeks ago, I implemented my "Get Out of Swamp" plan. And what a difference it's made. Seriously. I've been feeling so much better.

Before I tell you what I've been up to, here's where I tell you why you shouldn't do it too:
Much of what I'm about to describe is a specialized plan for ME. Not for you. If you're getting the bright idea of "hey, I'll do exactly what Nenette's doing", you need to know that I've done a lot of research and have consulted professionals about my health. Anyway, please read it -- but don't do it (unless, you know, you've talked to your own health care pro)... and ...disclaimer done.

Okay, this is what I've been doing...

(1) I've decided to stop juggling so many balls. Wow, that sounds perverted. But it's true. I shouldn't be taking on so many projects. Online, at home, and at my kids' school. In fact, I've been dumping some... like when I took my name out of the running for parent council vice-chair at my kids' school. Which, believe it or not, was really hard for me to do... especially since I didn't throw my name in in the first place.

(2) Since most of my sources of stress are the home projects, I'm spending at least a couple of afternoons away from home to write at Starbucks or somewhere else, and NOT thinking about all the crap waiting for me when I return. You know, clear my head. Remind myself that there's more to my life than being the Queen of Unfinished Nonsense.

(3) I'm also trying to do one project at a time. So many times, I've looked at my TO-DO list and thought, "You've held me back long enough. I'm going to clown college." Nothing gets done. Now, I choose a project (like the VHS tape review, which is finally done BTW!), and let the others fade into the background until the current task is done. I think I've crossed more stuff off my list these 3 weeks than I have in the past 3 months.

(4) To help my body (and adrenals) cope with the stress, I've been taking an adaptogen (Ashwaganda) and 5-HTP. I haven't felt as stabby or had the urge to go bitchcakes on Roomie or my annoying neighbour or the dog that tries to poop on my garden or the Hydro guy or the door-to-door sales dude or...

(5) Stress has done a number on my immune system. My being sick almost every other week since September -- and getting some "weird neck thingie" that I TMI'd on Facebook -- have been proof of that. For a much-needed immunity boost, I've started taking probiotics again and increased my vitamin D. The Vit D has made the biggest difference because having dark skin and being a hermit the entire winter made me D-deficient.

(6) Before kids, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance, a condition that led to gestational diabetes during my 1st pregnancy. I managed to control it during the latter part of that pregnancy, postpartum, and through my 2nd pregnancy with a strict low-carb/insulin resistance diet. Then, I fell off the wagon in 2007, felt rotten almost every day, and gained 25 pounds. Good news: I've since hopped back on the insulin-resistance diet train, feel less "foggy brained", and have already lost 4 pounds.

(7) I'm doing calming, relaxing activities like knitting. This is my daughter's blanket...


(8) I've added walking to my exercise regimen. Outside in the sunlight and fresh air. 30 minutes or more. Very calming.

And that's what I've been up to. So far, so good. Gotta say, though, that it's been a bitch trying to eradicate my deeply ingrained bad habits with these yummier ones, but I'm trying my best. And that's really what matters.

Anyway, of course, I'll be keeping you all posted.

recipe: oven-roasted broccoli

I'm writing a book called "OMG, I hate salad." Seriously. Because I do. Okay, "hate" may be too harsh a word because I did in fact have a prawn and papaya salad for our monthly girls' Sushi with Larry nite at Wasabi Sabi on Saturday. Yum.

Anyway, I've come to accept the fact that I'm just not a salad person and, like a true Vata, I feel better consuming veggies that have been cooked.

Broccoli is one of my faves. I've boiled them (yuck), fried them, steamed them, bbq'd them, pureed them into a soup (yum), but by a mile, my favourite way of preparing them is by roasting them in the oven. Roomie and I both think they taste better than fries!

Here's how I do it...

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of broccoli (with stalks)
2 tablespoons of oil
sea salt (or any kind of salt you like to use at home)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F.
Chop the broccoli and put in a big bowl. Throw in the oil and mix until broccoli is evenly coated.
Spread broccoli one layer thick on a cookie sheet.
Roast for 30 minutes, or until broccoli looks like the picture above. (Your oven may be different from mine.)
Sprinkle with salt to taste as soon as you take it out of the oven.
Eat!

Try it, and let me know what you think!