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!

6 mos sugar free.

6 months sugar free and 6 more months to go for an entire year sugar free!

I am also gluten and more recently, dairy free. I am dairy free because I have eczema at at the base of my scalp. It is extremely annoying. I was tested (using kinesiology) and I seem to have a dairy sensitivity. Hopefully, eliminating dairy will relieve my eczema. If not, I am sure to lose weight. =)

I am also running (yes, running) about 8-10 miles per week. I am working towards the goal of running Mackinac Island in October (the Island is 8 miles).

I have lost a grand total of about 30lbs this year. I am feeling fit and looking amazing! I can't wait to loose even more weight.