Roller Coaster Ride

I made a promise to myself...that I would write a post today if I had some extra time.  Well guess what? I have some time! Yay!

I know it has been a while...much too long.  Things have started getting a little overwhelming here.  My husband started a new job with FedEx which translates to later dinners and more solo hours with the kids...which in turn equals mental and physical burn-out on my part.  On top of that throw in the fact that I am starting classes in a week, singing regularly with a great band, and trying to revamp the blog.  Phase one of the revamp is complete.  I changed the background and added a search engine.  You can now look up any post with a few key words.  Try it out!  No more searching feverishly for a favorite recipe!  Hooray!  Phase two will include some killer pictures (soon to be taken) from one of my pals and hopefully some other cool graphics and such.  Keep an eye out or make sure you are a fan of The Incredible Shrinking Mama on Facebook for all of the latest updates!

I have decided that since the big 100 I wanted to lay off of the weekly updates.  I am feeling a whole lot of unneeded pressure and anxiety to keep pulling big numbers in order to keep my readers excited and engaged.  I have recently realized that I am NOT a reality show.  At this point in the game it about one thing for me - health.  I am no longer as focused on my weight or a specific number or size (even though I still would like to lose another 50-60 pounds).  My biggest goal throughout this process has been and still is to be as healthy as possible and to take my family and as many friends as possible with me on the journey. I still think numbers are a great way to remain accountable but I don't want them to end up sabotaging my efforts.  From now on I will include a monthly update with the first post of every month.  So here goes...

This past month has been a VERY wild roller coaster.  I am learning a lot through my prep work for school.  I have been really tuning into what my body wants and needs - nutritionally speaking.  It is quite amazing.  I have also been flirting with some dietary theories out there - mainly the Blood-Type Diet.  Again - amazing and fascinating.  I have discovered through personal experimentation that my tolerance for sugar and refined flour is almost none now.  The week after I hit 100 I ate more breads and sugar than normal.  I had a baguette at Panera, a scone here, a cookie there. You get the idea...I was a little more "free" with my choices.  I wish I would have taken a picture for comparison.  Next time I go on a sugar/bread binge I will definitely take pictures.  It caused me to bloat to the point that (to me) I looked and felt pregnant - kinda scary actually.  Who knows what my insides looked like *shudder.*  This free-eating started my roller coaster of a month.  Up one week - down another, up again and finally back down.  I am happy to report that I am back to the basics again and really just feeding myself the way I should - fruits and veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lots of water, and very limited amounts of sugar and (white flour) bread.  I am experimenting with other baked goods like spelt and brown rice breads...oh and some super-delicious buckwheat waffles.  So far I love them (except for the price!).  This month my total loss is a little over 3 pounds!  Hooray!  Still traveling in the right direction!

Something I have really been craving lately is salad.  Don't groan.  I'm not talking iceberg and tomatoes.  I am talking big, fresh salads with bright flavors and lots of color.  One salad I am loving right now is my concoction I am calling the Sunny Salad:

Sunny Salad

2 c. Romaine Lettuce

1 c. Mann's Sunny Shores (broccoli slaw mix)

4-5 strawberries, sliced

1/4 c. fresh chopped pineapple

1 baby cucumber, sliced into bite-sized pieces

BRAGG Organic Hawaiian Dressing and Marinade (about 2-3 T.)

This was the original salad and it is delicious just as is, but the next day I added:

1 small tomato, clopped, seeded, and cored

1/4 c. yellow bell pepper, chopped

1-2 green onions, chopped

fresh ground black pepper

Try it both ways.  The dressing is KILLER!  You can find it at Sunspot or right here!  It is crazy-low in calories and all that jazz and has some great health benefits as well!

I am working on some delicious recipes.  Hopefully I will get a chance to start sending some your way next week!  What's YOUR favorite healthy spring or summer dish?