A HEALTHIER 2014!!!

 I am going to look like this (or better) again:

and not this: (unfortunately, I do not have a current picture because I actually weigh a few more pounds than this picture! Wow!!! )

YES!!! I am so excited for a healthier and skinnier year. I have been contemplating the past few years and when I FELT the best. Hands down, it was the year I went without sugar.  Why I ever started eating sugar, I have no idea. I am heavier than I have been in years or ever. The past year has been a year of change and stress. My coping mechanism is to eat. Mostly chocolate chips. Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Amazingly, delicious chocolate chips. So, stress or no stress for my health, I am going sugar free, grain free, and peanut butter free.  Why peanut butter? Because, I LOVE peanut butter and it does NOT love me. =) And, YES that does mean NO CHOCOLATE CHIPS. =(

I bet you are wondering about my game plan and here it is:

January: I am going to go eat ONLY honey as my sweet and only occasionally.  I will be not only gluten free but grain free as well. What does that mean? That means: no wheat, oats, corn, rice, buckwheat, etc. I will be eating a lot of organic meat, organic fruits, organic veggies, organic eggs, fermented veggies, good fats,  and RAW dairy.

February: I am going to kick it up a notch. I will do everything the same as January but eliminate honey, fruit, and starchy veggies such as potatoes.

March: I will do the same as January and February but experiment with fasting and windows of eating. For instance, I will eat from 11am-6pm.


My menu will look something like this:

Breakfast: Omelet OR protein shake with Garden of Life RAW protein, Grass Lakes Gelatin powder, and raw eggs.

Lunch: Awesome grain free soup full of bone broth OR salad

Dinner: Meat and veggies

Snacks: Fruit, veggies and dip, or yogurt. 

Drinks: Tea, water, and raw milk

From the farm to our table........

In our quest of living healthier, we have researched and explored many places to buy our foods. We like to know where it comes from and ideally, the people who grow it. I get asked often about where we buy our food so here it goes:

Meat-

Beef- we order a 1/4 beef from Roseland farms (Roslandorganicfarms.com) They are certified organic, completely grassfed, and antibiotic and hormone free. If we need to supplement, we buy from Moonique Dairy Farm (more about them to come).
Chicken- we have been ordering pastured chickens from an amazing Amish farm in Colon, mi. Myback  up is Moonique Dairy Farm or the Farmer's Market.
Turkey- my hubby shot a wild one in the backyard. You are only allowed one turkey per year per person.
Pork- we eat very little pork but we get it from Moonique Dairy Farm or the Farmers Market
Fish- WILD CAUGHT  salmon or other WILD CAUGHT fish from Meijer and occasionally the health food store.
Venison- sometimes we get gifted with venison and my hubby hunts.
Hotdogs- we occasionally get hotdogs but only Organic Grassfed (Applegate brand  from Meijer).

Dairy-

Milk- we get 2 gallons RAW grassfed milk weekly from Moonique Dairy Farm. (Mooniquedairy.com) They are an amazing couple fromVandalia, Mi. They have drop offs in town just a few miles from our house.
Yogurt(raw)- I make it from the raw milk or we get it from Moonique Dairy (when we go to pick up our milk they have a trailer that has quality meat, yogurt, cheese, honey, etc. )
Cheese (raw)- I get it from the same Amish couple that sells us chickens
Butter- I wish I could find raw butter. It is illegal to sell in Michigan and I guess they can't find away around it like they can cheese, yogurt and milk. I do make it from the milk we get from time to time or I buy organic butter. Kerrygold is made from pastured milk. While it is pasturized, it still has more nutrients and we try to buy it as often as we can.

Produce-
We get our produce from a co-op in Gobles, Meijer, Farmer's Market, or my garden. Apples, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, etc we seek out organic gardens/orchards when in season, buy in bulk and freeze or can. Apples were amazingly priced (20$ a bushel for nearly organic) so we canned tons of applesauce. I can as many tomatoes and much as we can. I ferment some veggies especially sauerkraut. I also freeze veggies. We LOVE to bake with winter squash and pumpkins so I cook and freeze loads of squash.

Sugars
We use primarily honey (MOOnique dairy farm) and maple syrup (Moonique Dairy and Gobbles co-op)
We also use sucanant which I purchase through E&H in Shispshewanna, In
On rare occasions we use organic cane sugar.

Grains
We buy most grains, rices, beans, nuts, etc at E&H, the local health food store, or Gobles co-op. I also buy almond flour from Amazon and coconut flour from tropical traditions.

Fats
We use coconut oil from vitacost.com
Olive oil from where ever I can find it cheapest hopefully organic
We also used tallo, lard, and Oranic palm oil on occasion.


We get to know the farmers that supply most of our food. The items listed are the least expensive and highest quality foods we have  found. We buy in bulk and stock up if we find a good deal. We have certain venders we buy from at the Farmer's Market (they sell in the winter too!!!). We have gotten to know them and their growing process. We also make almost everything from scratch.

Emmaline Grace's Birth Story

Emmy's birth was an amazing experience.

Wednesday, I woke up having mild contractions. They were steady and timeable but not painful. Historically, my contractions have not been painful until the last hour or two of labor. I also labor very fast so I felt that I needed to call the midwife. I let her know what was going on and she was at another birth. I asked her if I should go to my chiropractor apt and she said I should. I went and got adjusted. I continued to feel contractions until early afternoon when they fizzled. I was in contact with the midwife on and off throughout the day. I decided to nap with the kids and the contractions stopped. I talked with the midwife about the position of the baby and I thought the baby was still high and on the right side. Optimal position is on the left side! My baby was on the right. . She came out and did an exam. I was 4cm and she showed me some simple positions to get the baby on the left side. She left and I thought I would go into labor soon.

Two more times throughout the week I had similar experiences with contractions that fizzled. I did not call the midwife because they eventually stopped. I did not want another false alarm.

On Labor Day, I woke up like any normal day. We did not have big plans because of the impending birth so we decided to go to a local park and walk. My husband, Ben, and I walked while my son rode his bike and my daughter enjoyed a ride in the stroller. After the walk, we decided to go out to Logan's for lunch. I ate chili which seems spicy at Logan's. =) I came home and took a nap. After the nap, I started having contractions. I walked and walked. I did not want them to stop this time. Around 6ish, they started to get more intense but I wanted to wait until I knew for sure before calling the midwife. Around 6:30, I called my parents and told them this was the real thing and they needed to come to watch the kids. I then called the midwife who said she would be there in about 30 minutes. I started getting the room ready and we put in a movie for the kids so Ben could blow up the pool.

The midwife arrived a little after 7. I met her at the door and she joked that I looked good for being in labor. I just hoped it wasn't a false alarm. She checked my progress after she got situated and I was a 7cm. My husband began filling up the pool. I think it took about an hour to fill up the pool. The contractions were close to 2 minutes apart and starting to get more painful around 8. They weren't long just more intense. I was still walking around helping get the kids situated with my parents-they had arrived a little after the midwife.

When the pool was filled and at the right temp, I hopped in. The contractions were intense and painful at this point. The pool helped. I talked with the midwife about knowing when to push. With my previous 2 deliveries I was checked for progress multiple times and told when to push. The midwife's advice to trust my body empowered me to concentrate more on what my body was doing. Toward the end of labor, the contractions lessened in intensity and I seemed to feel the baby slipping down. At 9:08 my water broke which surprised me. My water was broken the past 2 births and I forgot that my water may break. What was even more shocking was what came next. My daughter! Yep, my water broke and she was born in the same minute!! I didn't even have to push. My body did it for me.

The baby was beautiful! I was in love. I stayed in the tub with the babe.

Step away from the sugar!

Last year, at 12:01 I tipped my glass filled with ( non-alcoholic) eggnog and drank the sugary sweet beverage. Strange choice you might think, especially after a year without sugar, but I love the stuff. While it tasted great I felt horrible after consuming it. Sugar is addicting and I'd gone a whole year but what would a little hurt? Well, for me, consuming a little leads to a little more and a little more and a little more...... As I reflect bck on the year, I realize I felt a lot worse and I'm not talking about my 20 weeks of morning sickness! I have had numerous colds and even the flu! Stupid sugar.

Yep, I blame the sugar. It lowers your immunity for 8 hours after consumption! And the weight gain. Oh! The weight gain. Well,maybe that was the pregnancy, but not entirely.

This year as I look to 2012, and my goals for 2012, I am including sugar free (again)!!! Oh, and that includes NO artificial sweeteners! I won't get started on artificial sweeteners. I will save that for another blog.

At11:59 pm on December 31st, 2011, I will set down my glass of eggnog and step away from sugar for another year (or longer). Believe it or no, I cannot wait! Of course, I will be blogging!

Breast feeding

Some ramblings about breast feeding that I have learned:

1. It is all about the latch. It really is! With the first 2 kiddos I was so sore for the first few weeks. With number 3, I was NEVER sore. I mentioned this to my midwife and she said what I already knew, " it is all about the latch. If it is sore unlatch the babe and start again." The beauty was I never had the need with this baby.

2. There is no need to supplement. I did with the first 2and way more with my first. With this baby, I was determined not to supplement at all. It was not easy. She had her days and nights mixed up which resulted in nursing hours on end at night. I mean ALL night! But, the pay off was sweet! My milk came in a full 2days earlier and she was a different baby! And, I was never engorged.

3. Throw your schedule away. Babies do not operate on schedules. This article says it better than I can http://www.ivillage.com/should-you-schedule-babys-feeds/6-n-137351. No two days alike. Naturally, when kids are growing they eat more and some days they just aren't as hungry. We, as adults alter our schedule to fit our needs and wants, so do babies.

4. Breast feeding takes time. And, way more time in the beginning. I have learned to make my baby my priority for the first month or two. I sit my bottom in a chair and feed whenever my baby shows any sign of needing me. I feed hours on end. My housework lags and my social life dwindles but the bonding and feeding time is priceless. No regrets. Ever. I feed on demand until the breast feeding relationship is over but it is way less demanding as time goes on.

5. Immunity is past to your baby. You have the sniffles? Your breast milk is already passing the immunity to your baby! Wow! Our Creator thought of everything, didn't He?

6. Dont give up! Leche League and Kellymom.com are amazing resources. Kellymom.com has information on everything from latch to poop. Go to ilca.org and type I your zip code. Find a breastfeeding consultant. Don't give up! Most regret it!

7. Your baby usually is getting enough! If they aren't, you can usually correct the problem. I know there are times when I feel I am not making enough. Drinking more water and feeding more frequently are just 2 of the many ways to increase your supply. But, chances are, you are making more than you think.

8. Breastfeeding is way more than nutrition. It is also bonding! I have a 3 month old. She eats unlatches, smiles at me, eats, unlatches, and coos, eats, unlatches, smiles etcs. Does it take more time? Yes! And I heart EVERY moment.

9. Breastfeed in public! What!?!? Yep, I have learned how to breastfeed in public. People feed babies bottles in public, why can't I breastfeed my baby, too? I used to leave to feed or pump and bottle feed. I simply don't want the hassle. Babies 2&3 wouldn't take bottles anyway. I do use a cover or try to use one. This is not for my benefit, it is for the comfort of others.

10. Breast feeding prevents diseases and obesity later in life. It also has been linked to higher intelligence. Google it!

Trial run

I am planning on going sugar AND gluten free in 2012. I feel so much better when I leave these items out of my diet. I am going to do a trial run in November with the exception of the holiday weekend. This will be no small feat as I am hungry all the time and crave carbs while breast feeding. I just read that if you crave something but feel horrible after consuming it you probably have a sensitivity to it. That is me with carbs! Not to mention, I need to lose the rest of this baby weight! It has been7 weeks and I am at a stand still with weight loss.

Turn Baby Turn

A week and a half ago I learned that my baby was resting her head on the left side of my pubic bone with her body on my right side. Baby may have been comfortable in that position but it is not a good position for delivery. My midwife mentioned having my chiro do the Webster Technique and gave me a few posture suggestions to help baby move.
My chiro does not do the Webster Technique so I was referred to a chiro in the community who specializes in the technique. After just one adjustment, the baby moved differently. At my midwife visit the next day, she checked the position of the baby and head is down! The baby' s head is high and on the right side (left side is optimal). I am so excited head is down. I have one more adjustment this afternoon and I am hoping baby will move the rest of the way. My "due date" is in 22 days so head down is very important now!! =)

Yes, a homebirth!

For our third baby we have decided on a homebirth for several reasons-Hospital births have only become the norm in the last 2 generations around the 1950's. Homebirthing is less invasive, you have more freedom and better prenatal care. Even with good insurance, homebirthing is very cost effective.These reasons aside, the primary reason we decided to homebirth is because of the way our last hospital birth progressed.

. Allow me to explain. I went into the hospital midmorning having experienced mild contractions for a few hours. I have fast deliveries and wanted to make sure I was there in time! When I got there, I was 5 cm dilated and progressing. I was admitted and labored for a few hours standing or in the bath tub because of back labor.

My doctor came in to check on me but the visit was brief. He was busy delivering another baby. In fact, between Friday night and Saturday morning he had delivered 7 babies. I had the most amazing nurse who was my advocate, but saw VERY little of the doctor.
I only labored a few hours before I was ready to push. The nurse told me not to push as the doctor was not available. Umm.... what??!?!?! After a while we heard her say,"This girl has to push and it will go fast." A resident doctor came in to the room because my doctor was still with someone else. The first thing the resident doctor asked was if I could get back up on the bed. (I was still standing because it felt better due to the back labor.) Being the compliant girl I am, I tried until I had a contraction. My family in the room say I shot up off the bed as if I was not 9 months pregnant and in labor. I told the doctor I couldn't lay down. Back labor was very painful and so much more painful in bed.
After a short time, my doctor came in the room. Again, I was asked if could get up on the bed. I probably gave him the a very dirty look! Much to the doctor's objections, I had my daughter squatting beside the bed. I pushed for 5 minutes and she entered this world at a very chubby 9lbs 3oz and 20".

Now, that doesn't seem like a horrible story but the more I think about it, the more I disliked than liked:
1. I would like a doctor/midwife that worked with my instead of trying to get me on a bed for their convenience.

2. I would like a doctor/midwife that I know and trust to be available when I am delivering.

3. When I pushed, the doctor pulled the cart of utensils in the way of everyone that was in the room. I am not sure why he did this other than he was extremely uncomforable delivering a baby this way and maybe he did not want any witnesses if something went wrong??

4.The baby was taken from me shortly after birth for antibiotic eye drops, vitamin K injection, bath, etc. - I'd like more bonding and less intervention.

5. I would like to be IV free. I was hooked up to an IV when admitted and given pitocin to help deliver the placenta. This is standard and unnecessary.

6. I would like skin to skin contact instead of the baby put under a warmer.

7. I would like to EAT and DRINK if I wish. I am not sure how hungry I would even be but I do like to have nourishment and fluids when I am working that hard!!!

8. I am not a fan of the restrictions of the hospital. I would like to sleep when tired uninterrupted.

9. I would like to be cared for by someone that is passionate about their job.

10. I would like to be encouraged and challenged to be truly healthy during my pregnancy.

This experience with a midwife has been totally different. She comes to my house and has gotten to know everyone even the dog! She stays for 45 min to an hour. I learned more about pregnancy, labor, birth, etc in just a few visits than I had with the prenatal care of my first 2 children combined. She is so knowledgeable-she has delivered (naturally) over 1,000 babies!! Prenatal care is also not nearly invasive. I had one lab draw for blood, my blood sugar test was done at home after a normal meal, and I have yet to be checked-you know where.

Pregnancy ramblings

35weeks.

I haven't blogged in quite awhile so this will be an update of sorts. During this pregnancy, I have been hungry for knowledge! I have read from many sources and gained knowledge from key people during this pregnancy.

I set goals at the beginning of the pregnancy. One goal was to not eat after dinner. With extremely rare exceptions, I have maintained that goal. I have exercised regularly which was another goal. I walk at least 1 1/2 miles most days of the week. I also do prenatal fat-burning yoga. I have limited sweets, although I have eaten more sweets lately. Even though I feel as big as a house, I have gained just over 25lbs. Considerably less than I have gained with my 2 previous pregnancies! In fact, by this time I was 30+ lbs heavier with BOTH pregnancies.

A blessing of this pregnancy has been lack of swelling. Even with considerably above average temps this summer, I have not swelled. I read an article a while back that stated swelling was caused by kidneys not functioning at optimal levels. I have eaten watermelon, taken fish oil and drank lots of water as the article suggested. There are plenty of other suggestions to reduce swelling and the article is worth a read.

I am more energetic than past pregnancies. After 'all day' sickness that lasted 20 weeks and occasionally still plagues me, I have been rather energetic. I am starting to slow down now, but I just nap with my 2 monkeys and I am good! I think a better diet and regular exercised (even when I do not feel like it) has helped.

I also learned from my midwife that taking a magnesium/calcium supplement help with calf cramps which wake me up at night several times a week. I take Oscap a Thorne supplement twice a day. Exercise, water, and Oscap have drastically reduced cramping.

Proactive against gestational diabetes!!

One of my biggest concerns with pregnancy is gestational diabetes(GD). My mom most likely had GD. They didn't test her but her babies kept getting bigger with the last one weighing in at 10lb3oz. WOW! =) There is some research that suggests that it is hereditary. When pregnant with my first child, I did not pay attention to diet or exercise. I gained a whopping 50+lbs. UGH! During the 9mos I was pregnant-my hubby's company was downsized resulting in the loss of his job, hubby getting a new job 2 hours north of our beautiful home, selling our home, buying a home, a close family member with a life threatening medical condition, loss of my career, moving, etc. Don't get me wrong, God's hand was in it all and it worked out better than we could even imagine! I do think I used food as a comfort and ate and ate and ate.. All that eating took a toll on my body. I had diet controlled GD with my 1st pregnancy. With my second pregnancy, I was borderline but it never developed!! Woohoo! I believe the difference was a diet change and commitment to exercise. With this pregnancy, I am being proactive. My midwife suggested eating more beans to lower blood glucose levels. With this simple suggestion, the wheels in my mind started to turn and next week I will start a carefully planned diet. =)

just shy of 17wks

Side View-working on that bump!Front View:

On Tuesday, I will be 17wks. I have gained 1-2lbs and I am starting to feel better. This has been the sickest pregnancy by far! I start to feel better and then I have another week of tossing my cookies. Hats off to my husband for cleaning, cooking, and taking over in the evenings when I have trouble standing upright. I feel behind in almost every area of life and am slowing digging out from underneath 10+weeks of laundry and dust.

I am having serious cravings and have not done well with my resolution to not eat sugar. I am trying to limit processed sugar and am not eating any artificial sweetners. I should never have started eating sugar again! I do not feel well if I eat much sugar at all. Speaking of cravings, I am eating tuna, egg salad, mustard all foods I do not normally eat. Chicken and onions have been sooo hard for me to smell and eat. I cut up my first onion this week for a recipe and felt like it was a great victory. =)

I am starting to feel "flutters". I love that feeling. Around 20weeks we will have an ultrasound and I will keep you all posted. =)

2nd Trimester!

Today, marks the beginning of my 14th week. The baby is the size of my fist. When I start to get more of a baby bump, I will post pictures. I have been incredibly sick and exhausted. I am starting to feel better some days, and I am slowly making my way back up to my prepregnancy weight.

Starting tomorrow, I will be eliminating ALL white and brown (processed) sugar from my diet and all wheat products. With my first pregnancy, I had diet controlled gestational diabeties. With my second pregnancy, I was borderline for GD but it never developed. With this pregnancy, I am hoping to avoid it all together.

Soon, I hope to start exercising. I am hoping to have energy soon! =)

Baby #3 on the way!

Today, I head the one of the best sounds. A tiny heartbeat. Our family of 4 will be a family of 5 around the beginning of September 2011. Thanks to my sugar free year, I am starting this pregnancy with a weight below the 2 previous pregnancies. I vow not to look like the above picture! I was a chubber.

I have to admit, I do think I am headed in the right direction. As 12 1/2 weeks, I am down 5lbs. Sick, sick, sick. I am so glad the 1st trimester is almost over. I hope I am not sick until 20 weeks like the last pregnacy.

My goal is to gain around 20-25 lbs by doing the following:

1. Not snacking at night.

2. Eating smaller meals.

3. Limiting sugar.

4. Exercising regularly (as soon as I feel well).

I did make it 2010 without consuming any deserts made from sugar! Woohoo. I consumed some sugar on January 1, 2011, but not without consequence. I FEEL horrible if I eat much sugar at all. I have almost a zero tolerance for sugar. I guess the stuff really is toxic.

Pass the Latte!

An old picture.... but fully displays the way I feel about Chai! =)

In 18 days, I will have made it an entire year without a substantial amount of sugar. What an accomplishment. I have been asked, "What will you eat first?" and "Will you go back to sugar?" This year I have felt healthier than I have in years... maybe ever. = ) I have more energy and less illness. Nothing short of amazing. Truly amazing. My answer to the questions?? I may take one day "off" of non-sugar. My day off will without a doubt include a Chai Latte and possibly one well choosen sugary treat. On January 2nd 2011, I will again be sugar free. I am hesitant to write this but I may include dairy. When I am dairy free I feel even better. So, pass the latte and celebrate......another year of sugar free!

Still sugar free-update.

I am still sugar free! YAY! I am still striving to be the healthiest me I can be. In the pictures above, I am wearing the same exact brand and style of jeans just several sizes smaller in the first picture. I feel amazing after shedding all those pounds (35+ to date). I still have more weight to shed but I am not as ambitious as I was at first. My goal now (more than ever) is to eat healthy and nutritious foods. We try to abstain from most soy (unless it is organic and then it is a minimal intake), all hydrodginated oils, sugar, non-organic corn (due to GMOs), and unidentifiable ingredients. Going sugar free has opened my eyes to an entire new way of eating.

Food sensitivies/allergies.

I was listening to the radio and heard a holistic Dr talking about an IgG blood test used to test for food sensitives. Food sensitives are delayed food intolerance's and are not detected on the standard allergy test (IgE test). According to foodallergytest.org, 80% of the population have food sensitivities while only 5% have true allergies. WOW! 80%??? My chiro says over 2/3 of the population have a gluten sensitivity!! Seriously!?!?!

Since finding out my food sensitivities and avoiding them, I feel amazing! =)

Laundry soap!

I make my own laundry soap! It is extremely cost saving (about 2$ for 5 gallons) and works great!
I have been using it for about a year now. I thought I would share the recipe. I substitute dove soap for the Fels-Naptha because it is more gentle. The consistency of the soap is thinner than store bought-possibly because I substitute Dove soap.

Here is the recipe:
4 cups HOT water
1 bar Fels-Naptha
1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soap (NOT baking soda)
1/2 cup borax

Grate bar of soap into a sauce pan with hot water on medium/low heat. Continue to stir in soap until dissolved.
Fill 5 gallon bucket half full of hot water. Add all ingredients including dissolved soap. Stir until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with hot water and stir. Cover and let sit all night to thicken.

To use: fill old clean laundry container with 1/2 laundry soap and 1/2 water. Add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons if desired.

Makes 10 gallons. Use 5/8 cup per load or front load machines use 1/4 cup.

Note: I do not dilute (add water) to my laundry soap. I just use less. =)

HFCS and cancer!!!

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been linked to cancer. (Click on the word cancer to view the link), I knew cancer feeds on sugar but I found it even more interesting that cancer cell grow even faster with fructose! HFCS is in everything! I mean everything. It is amazing what you learn when you start reading labels. When we decided to go organic/natural one of the first things we eliminated was HFCS. We buy items without it or make from scratch.

Yet another reason to be sugar free. I knew there was a good reason I was sugar free in 2010.

Dairy Free.

I am now dairy free. I have a very annoying patch of eczema on the back of my scalp. I was tested (by my chiro using kinesiology) and I have a dairy sensitivity. I am adding dairy to my list of a foods I avoid. My sensitivities include: dairy, gluten, splenda, apples, grapes, almonds, peanuts, coffee, stevia, chia tea, oatmeal, strawberries, and mushrooms. I also avoid soy (most soy is GMO/ genetically modified), pork, and sugar (all forms).

Of all the food I avoid, dairy is by far the hardest for me to give up!! I LOVE cheese. =) I had a discussion with my chiro and dairy is basically reeking havoc on my immune system! I gave up dairy for an entire week (seemed much longer) and my eczema improved only a little. I was discouraged, but I since found out it can take up to a month. wow. =) So, I am on week two and I hope the eczema is gone in the next 2-3 weeks.

I am still sugar free and am trying to lose weight, however, I admit I have been slacking. My previous post about the detox diet lasted all of 5 days! My goal was 21 days. Consequently, I did not have a tremendous weight loss. I had also been exercising 5-6 days a week for 30+ minutes and I am now down to 2-3 times a week.

So, I am challenging myself to exercise more and loose 5lbs in the next 2 weeks. Eliminating dairy has severely limited the foods I can eat. I have not gained even an ounce without the added exercise. I believe if I step up the exercise and do not snack at night I will be able to loose the weight! I will keep posting.

Detox diet!!

MY LUNCH!!!! I LOVE summer veggies.

I really need to lose more weight so I am doing the detox diet without the supplements!!

The detox diet is:

Fruit-Fresh or Frozen

Veggies (1/2 must be raw and eat 2xs as many as fruit)-fresh or frozen

NO potatoes (except sweet) and NO corn

Protein shake

At least 64 oz of water

On day 11 you can start adding chicken and fish

I am adding eggs occasionally and am gradually stepping down my caffeine (to save from getting a headache). I only drink tea so I will be having 1 1/2 glasses of tea today, 1 tomorrow, and 1/2 the next day, and 1/4 the next day.

I am also completing 20+minutes of exercise per day (6 days a week) with 2-3 days of running. I usually run for at least an hour.. =)

My sister in law is also doing this with me! Yay

When I did the Standard Process Detox, I lost 15 lbs!!

Here is to another 15lbs!