Aila's Primal Journey page 21

[Aila]

185.7!!

For the record, that means I'm:
*almost to 50lbs lost! (just 2.7lbs more)
*20 lbs away from no longer obese! (at 165)
*40 lbs away from looking pretty decent, "normal sized" (at 145)
*75 lbs away from goal!!


Steady as she goes!

Most exciting is that I am headed to an Easter brunch at a farm-to-table restaurant in the city, with lots of local, grass fed meats! Can't wait!!

[Aila]

What a glorious weekend!! A full weekend of sunshine here in Portland, OR - everyone is outside and happy!

Some highlights:
Just sent in my progress pics for the "Success Stories In the Making" thread. Yahoo!! Almost 20lbs down since January. For those of you who don't want to exercise the extra clicks (!), here's the skinny:

January 5, 2012: 203.2lbs



April 7, 2012: 184.6 lbs - I think you can see that my arms can come down better along my sides, because there is that much less of me! What you can't quite see very well is there are a lot fewer chins :O. Still a ways to go, but I am looking and feeling so much better already, and it's all good from here on out!!


Yesterday morning I was rather uncharacteristically hungry by mid-morning, so I made myself a full, yummy breakfast of eggs topped with avocado and salsa, and rainbow chard sauteed with a little red onion, and some lovely strawberries.



I once again had the experience I've had for a few months now - that shortly after I eat a delicious, nutritious meal, I feel like the bars of my life energy above my head are being restocked, like in a video game.

Today, we went out for Easter Brunch at the Urban Farmer Restaurant in Portland. I cannot recommend it more highly for Primal Peeps! Take a gander at my plates:

Applewood smoked bacon, which is hiding Painted Hills beef brisket and roasted Oregon lambcetta
Country ham eggs Benedict
Roasted beet, fingerling potato and arugula salad




Spring garlic soup, presented with the condiments on the bottom of the cup, over which the soup was poured (very cool!), with pecorino and truffle
Spring pea salad with radish, shallot and citrus vinaigrette
Citrus cured smoked salmon with red onion and capers
Kiwi, blueberries and grapefruit
Deviled egg assortment:
Traditional, with candied bacon and espelette
Tuna tartare with black olive and pine nuts
Smoked trout with dill crunch
Wild mushroom and melted leek

Oh, and as it is now the end of Lent, I had coffee. Mmm, how I missed you, beloved roasted bean.

A great weekend of work and play (YAY! Actually got my arse out and went to TWO parties this weekend!). Plus, on Friday I put on my khakis and realized they looked like clown pants, so went clothes shopping and got two new pairs of pants (smaller!) and some cute shirts and a pair of sandals. I am finally small enough to not have to shop at the Fat Girls stores anymore, so I went to the mall and shopped at regular stores, which is such a great and freeing feeling.

Best of all, I treated myself to a proper bra fitting and got a new bra with an extender, so hopefully it will last me through the next 20 or so pounds! (Note that I had not yet purchased it at the time of the progress pic above, alas...)

Life is fabulous!! Have a great week, all!

[winencandy]

congrats on the progress!!

I once again had the experience I've had for a few months now - that shortly after I eat a delicious, nutritious meal, I feel like the bars of my life energy above my head are being restocked, like in a video game.

iLove it!!!

[MamaGrok]

shortly after I eat a delicious, nutritious meal, I feel like the bars of my life energy above my head are being restocked,

LOVE IT!

That brunch looks AMAZING, so jealous!!

[Aila]

Thanks, W&C! Thanks, MamaGrok!

Today is once again Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in. I am at - TAH DAH -

183.1!

This is a mere .1 lb away from 50 lbs lost!! I am SO HAPPY!! And so proud of myself! It really helps to have some cute new clothes that actually fit me, too. Got some nice encouragement yesterday from a coworker who, many years ago, lost a significant amount of weight herself.

My progress pics went up in the "Success Stories in the Making" section yesterday. Congrats to all of us!

[NourishedEm]

Hi Aila!

HUGE congrats on your amazing success - your story may be in the making but you've already won in my eyes.

I had to say after seeing your confession in Diana's journal about your bejewelling that I am so surprised!! Just shows that you can just never tell about people huh? Kinda makes me want to pretty up my new girls too.

[Aila]

Harumph. Today is the first day since my renewed effort that I have to post a gain. I'm at 184.6 this morning. I will report that on Thursday last week I weighed 183.0, which is my full 50lbs of weight loss!! But, for this journal I am counting the Wednesday weigh-ins. One good note, I am now down another inch on my hips!

I have been feeling a bit "off" this week. For three days in a row I craved a BAS for dinner, which I ate. I have already learned that I can't eat too late at night, so I didn't (although I think one night dinner finished at about 8, which borders on too late). Each evening, it felt like the salad just sat in my stomach and intestines all night long and was still there into the morning. I don't know if there's an ingredient I'm reacting badly (not digesting well) to, or if the volume of the salads is too much (I could probably eat a MAS and be satisfied), or what.

In fact, one thing that is rather frustrating to me at this juncture is that I can't really isolate a cause of this gain. There are too many variables, which thwarts my rational scientist desire for a definitive answer. Some possible contributors:

virus? (I've been congested),
coffee (I added it back on Easter, but some people with gluten sensitivity have a cross-reaction to coffee),
butter (I added back pastured cultured butter),
hormonal issues (this perimenopause period is so freaky deaky (sp?), I feel PMSy periodically even with no "result"),
die off (I just started Bio-Kult probiotics as per GAPS, as well as the fermented butter oil/cod liver oil blend) (MamaGrok, I know you didn't experience any help from Bio-Kult...I'm going to give it a 120 capsule run and see what happens...)
allergies? (it's the season)
my body slowing down to do a toxin release as I lose fat?
who knows????

In any event, I'm not really stressing about this, just curious. I am so pleased and happy at my progress so far, and at the yummy food I'm cooking and eating for myself, that I can hardly worry. I'm losing weight at a fine pace, looking and feeling better, and know absolutely that I am nourishing and taking good care of my body. That's plenty good enough, and eclipses any grumpiness about a 1.5lb gain this week.

EM! So great to hear from you! (And yes, all kinds of surprises lurk where you least expect it, eh?) Hey, I love your input here, and for me the PB is fabulous in that it allows so much customization according to what works for you individually. I too am not particularly a low-carber (I never ever count, and eat plenty of veg and fruit), and yes I eat fruit too (I more often choose berries, but other than that, like you I just can't hang with the idea that fruit is evil, and in moderation it adds so much to meals). I just eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, good fats, veg, fruit. That works for me. I hope you don't imagine that your particular stamp on healthy eating makes you unwelcome around here - quite the contrary! Let us know what is working for you - you are such an inspiration!!


And...I ordered a new bathing suit, so I can throw away the ever-so-matronly worn out fat girl suit I've been sporting. I bought a tankini top and boyshort bottoms from Title Nine (a catalogue I love) and am SO pleased to be able to do so. The bottoms have arrived and they fit and look pretty cute. The top hasn't yet arrived, and I hope it gets here before I head out of town this weekend - an out of town conference in the high desert, and I plan to be poolside!!

Lastly, inspired by MamaGrok's post and then reading various blogs, I am consciously working on my cold tolerance (a buildup to trying some of the thermogenesis strategies to increase the burning of brown fat). For me this means giving up some of my pet comforts - the heated mattress pad, pumping up the thermostat when I'm cold, etc - but in almost no time I've already become more cold tolerant, which pleases me.

Happy Week Y'all!

[MamaGrok]

Oooo, Title Nine, love them! My first clothing purchase in years was an Athleta bathing suit, very similar to what you described!

[Aila]

Staying steady at 184.6. And feeling a bit...maybe like I'm coming down with something? Little bit of swollen gland, tired and a bit creaky. Going to go to bed early!

Yep, MamaGrok, Title Nine is awesome! And, might I say, your natural icewater adventures rock!!!

Had a great weekend basking in the much needed sun in Bend, OR, playing in the pool and the river...and because I like to try to find the paleo-friendly places wherever I go, I found this cool place: Pono Farm for Saturday lunch, plus I picked up some bacon for Sunday breakfast. Yummy!

Nighty night, all.

[Aila]

183.0!!

That is now, (as of an official Wednesday weigh-in) 50 lbs released!!

(and, the scale flirted with 182.9 before settling on 183...that's a number I haven't seen in a long time!)

Inspired by a quote on MamaGrok's journal, I've been reading Dr. Cate and Byron Richards about what is happening during weight loss. This article, Why Toxins and Waste Products Impede Weight Loss, was especially informative. And this is something I love about this community - we share what we learn, and it helps others! Thanks, MG!

Trusting my body to do what it needs to do as I transform into vibrant health. If I'm holding on to weight (esp water) in order to flush out toxins stored in fat cells, so be it. The overall trend is downward, into "right size" and health.

Last night after dinner I had crushing fatigue, so went to bed really early. Also my heat/cold has been weird lately. Figuring this is all just part of the process, I'm just giving myself what I need, eating and sleeping well.

Love Chris Kresser and so was glad to see him guest post here today! Trying to not think about how many pints of Ben & Jerry's I ate while pregnant...

Thinking about taking Mark up on the activity challenge from yesterday. I'm definitely in the group of people who don't get nearly the activity they/I should.

Downloaded the Nom Nom Paleo iPad app! So excited!!

I am one happy Primallian today!