Weekly Wrap-up & Next Week's Challenge - Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas

I spent this week doing Meghan Telpner's Low GI diet plan. Feeling pretty good - except that I had a friend's hens night last night so I've probably undone everything with all the drinking. When I weighed myself of Friday I was 0.5kg lighter and I had lost just over 1% body fat! Which was great.

My body fat percentage 3 weeks ago was close to 40%!! So my main concern is getting that number significantly lower. I highly recommend Meghan's Low Glycemic Eating Challenge. There is a lot of prep work but if you're happy to spend a Sunday afternoon pottering in the kitchen you will be sorted for the rest of the week.

The only thing I found quite difficult was doing morning and afternoon snacks. a) Because I always felt full (which is great) and b) because I find it difficult to co-ordinate those snacks at work. But the food was fantastic!

My absolute favourites where the almond and sunflower cereal, sweet potato and broccoli soup and the non-bread bread.

Doing this challenge has got me to thinking about the importance of a really good breakfast. I was feeling amazingly stable at 3pm, when I can normally be struggling to keep my eyes open!! And I credit this to a really good breakfast and lunch with well prepared proteins and leafy greens, rather than being laden with heavy, hypnotic carbs.

And on Thursday I had toast for breakfast (because I forgot to bring my brekkie in) and fell into a thyroidy low - I have been reading that people with thyroid conditions should treat their diets as if they were gluten intolerant because the gluten intolerance may actually be part of the process that triggers an underlying autoimmune disease.

So my challenge this week is to:

Have 7 days of gluten free, delicious breakfasts.

And to see if this gets my day off to a good start and whether avoiding my usual Vegemite on toast every day can help me loose a little bit more weight!

My first idea that I would like to try is a bit of a hybrid between Meghan's Almond & Sunflower Cereal and a Quinoa Porridge - I'll document that tomorrow morning and get the recipe up online once I've tested it!  I have also bought ingredients for some yummy smoothies just to change things up a bit from day to day.

Hashimoto's Rollercoaster

One of my favourite artists Art&Ghosts

Its weird, I was reading Sarah Wilson's blog the other day and she had written a post about 'thyroidy/crappy days'. It caught my eye because of my own onset of Hashimoto's, but I couldn't identify the 'low' days for me - well I couldn't link them with my thyroid condition anyway.

And then today it struck me - I should have been alerted last night when I just threw in the towel on preparing breakfast and went to bed early - I had been to the gym and was jogging down to work when I was overcome with fatigue. At first I assumed it was my laziness kicking in, but all at once I began to feel so tired I was almost in tears.

I struggled on through the morning, trying to be chipper and happy but really all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch in the recreation area and have a nap. After lunch I started getting cravings for something sweet! And I really don't have a sweet tooth, but every now and again the craving for sugar it really strong.

Upon leaving work, my fiance rang to say that he wasn't going to home for dinner - my desire to cook for just myself was not there. So what did I do? I went out and bought a ready-made Indian dinner from Woolworths supermarket! And then a bottle of wine!

Now I know - this is my thryoid-low. For the last two weeks I have been over-the-moon happy, loving my healthy meals and my alcohol free nights and then all of a sudden I get run over by the Thyroid Truck.

So as a bit of a round up for myself in the future, here is what I have identified as my 'symptoms':

• Sudden loss of energy - "I can't be bothered..."
• Emotional/irrational tiredness
• Feeling fed up with it all - I had this uncontrollable feeling of "I always work out, eat well, cut out alcohol.... etc etc.... and I'm STILL FAT and UGLY! IT'S NOT FAIR!"
• Cravings for sweet/junk food and desire to snack
• Cravings for alcohol
• I was also really judgmental, cranky and hurling abuse (in my head of course!) on the bus on the way home...

And here's what I plan to do when I notice these 'symptoms' (and this is very much thanks to Sarah Wilson's blog article!):

• Get some dandelion tea to have at work in the morning instead of black tea or coffee (of which I had about 4 cups of day, by the way! Yet another tell-tale sign I think) - I might even buy a nice teapot to keep on my desk!
• Incorporate fresh turmeric into my diet - I keep reading and hearing how FANTASTIC turmeric is, even in my cooking class in Bali the teacher pleaded that we eat more fresh turmeric (dried doesn't have the natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial qualities that are SO important).
• Stay away from sugar, alcohol and caffeine - even though these are really the only day I ever crave these things, STAY AWAY! And have either the dandelion, bancha or green tea.
• Stay away from stodgy foods and look for something green and colourful instead.
• Avoid stressful and energy draining situations - if I have to skip the gym that day or avoid going out, so be it.
• Book a massage, I really don't treat myself to these things often enough and maybe doing something like lymphatic drainage massage might help move some of the fluid (I know I'm a little bit overweight, but some days I really feel like I'm wearing a fat suit and I'm assuming that on these days I might be a little swollen on top of my normal disposition?)

Most importantly I need to hold on to the fact that with my thyroid condition (and possibly insulin issues) loosing weight isn't going to be as simple as it should be. And no, it's probably not 'fair'. But this is teaching me to look after and love the body that I have and this is a lifestyle choice, not a quick fix. Over time it will become easier. This is probably just the most difficult part.

I'm going to put my little 'symptoms' and 'cures' list us on my cubicle wall at work and in my wallet. So I can learn to recognise it as it comes on, not when I'm a glass of wine and a dirty dinner down.

xK

Weekly Wrap-up

So last week was incredibly successful! After 6.5 days (yup, I caved on Saturday because we had 3 events to attend... blah blah blah... anyway excuses aside) I felt fantastic and really proud of myself because I can't remember the last time I had 2-3 days alcohol free, let alone 6!

By the end of the week I had noticed the following things:

• Better sleep and waking up hungry which doesn't normally happen to me, so I'm assuming that was my metabolism picking up or just my body more effectively digesting my evening meal!
• My eyes were whiter - weird I know, but after about 3 days my eyes were definitely whiter and brighter.
• Much more stable mood - less swinging between extremely happy and then incredibly moody.
• More confidence, funnily enough, I was really worried about becoming anti-social whilst avoiding drinking but it was the total opposite! I felt more confident, probably because my self-esteem/self-worth was boosted by not drinking and accomplishing my goals?
• More motivation - every night I would be cooking dinner, making posts, doing homework and not feeling lethargic and moping on the couch.
• I lost a 1kg and 1% of body fat - in ONE WEEK! 

So what I have learnt from this that avoiding alcohol during the week is incredibly beneficial for my body, mind and soul! Now I make this pact with myself to not drink from Sunday or Monday through to Thursday and to also be more mindful when I do drink to do so in moderation.

On Saturday when I did have a couple of drinks, I probably had a couple more than I should have (but not anywhere near as much as I previously would have) and very quickly realised this and curbed my drinking over the night.

All in all a pretty successful experiment and it has definitely opened my eyes to what I had been ignoring for a long time.

This Fish is Done with Flip-Flopping

I have always been a very indecisive person, typical Pisces. Always flip-flopping backwards and forwards, easily persuaded by external influences, until BAM! I make a sudden and rash move usually based on emotion and almost always regret it.

When I made the decision to make a career change it was different. I am almost doing it on the sly, telling only my closest friends and family until I can explore the waters completely.

(Even though there are people I'm dying to tell, it's become quite complicated because I currently work with some friends.)

It feels amazing and it feels 100% right. Going hand in hand with my Non-Alcohol week, I have been SUPER productive making healthy dinners, blogging and studying each night. I feel like I can accomplish anything I want.

I'm sitting on the bus writing this (my first blog-on-the-go!) and I just keep thinking about all this plus the fact that my new goal in life is have my own little practice and to never have to catch the bus again! Hehe!

xK

Cheers! to new and healthier habits!

I have gone for 5 days with out alcohol now and I'm feeling fantastic. Rather than it being a 'count down' to when I can drink again, I feel like it has become more of a little competition with myself.

How long can you go without alcohol now?

 

Also, going with out alcohol has given me room to come up with a new evening ritual. Brewing a pot of herbal tea. I actually get great joy sitting with my pretty glass tea pot and a mug - watching the tea swirl around and brew.

Over the weekend I want to try creating a pot of ice tea to leave in the fridge and drink during the week - from what I have Googled you should only leave iced tea in the fridge for up to 2 days..

Two things I have to be mindful of would be caffeine so close to bed time and also Michaela Ballmann from Nutritionally Speaking did a podcast about Green Tea in which she talks about the benefits of the tea but also the adverse effects when you drink too much, including liver failure, arthritis and stomach pain. Especially if you drink it on an empty stomach. So no more than 5 cups a day!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to going to T2 to pick up some yummy new combinations!

So for my first iced tea experiment I am going to try this recipe over the weekend - I found this recipe on West of Persia and I think it sounds just divine!

Persian Iced Tea

Made with rose water ice cubes, cardamom-spiked simple syrup or agave nectar, and quick brew black tea, this Persian inspired iced tea has an exotic flare and refreshing taste:

Ingredients:

• 180mL rose water
• Black tea 
• 6 cups of filtered water, plus more for ice cubes
• 2 Tablespoons agave nectar (or simple syrup–linkage to directions below)
• 2 teaspoons powdered cardamom (or 4-6 pods of green cardamom)
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Make the rose water ice cubes. Pour 180mL of rosewater into an ice tray and top off with more filtered water to make perfect cubes. Pop into freezer overnight, or until frozen solid.

2.  Brew the tea in the 6 cups of water until is the perfect dark amber hue.

3.  Make the agave-cardamom syrup by warming agave over low heat. Or, if you don’t have agave, follow these directions for a classic simple syrup that we can then infuse with cardamom.

4. Add the cardamom powder or pods to the syrup, and stir well to allow its flavor to infuse. Remember, LOW heat here is your friend. It only takes a few seconds for the infusion to happen, so taste test the syrup, make sure you can taste the cardamom, and then remove it from the heat immediately.

5. Add the syrup, a little at a time,  to the brewed tea, and stir generously.  (Taste as you go here–everyone likes their tea sweetened a little differently, or not at all. For that matter, you could put the syrup on the side and let everyone use the amount they want in their individual tea glasses).

6. To serve, pour tea over rosewater ice cubes that you’ve placed into a tall glass. As the rose water cubes melt, their flavor will infuse into the tea. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

The greatest victory on this Melbourne Cup day.....

is MINE!

I did not touch a drop today and nor did I feel sad about it or feel like I was missing out at all! Even though they were serving Chandon (my favourite sparkling under $30!). I drank half orange juice and half sparkling water in a champagne glass and felt quite refreshed in the afternoon, the same cannot be said for a few staggering fillies on George Street. Hehe!

I realise that I said tonight I would look into some alternative drinks for the evening, but I am so behind in my study after Bali so I had better focus on that tonight.

This evening I made myself a pot of tea (a blend of white tea and rose) and it has been wonderful. It got me thinking, maybe some sort of iced tea would be perfect now that we're moving into the balmy late Spring evenings. I think I will plan some sort of iced tea concoction using my rose tea?

Okay, better get on with my study so I can get an early night and get to yoga tomorrow.

Effects of Alcohol on the Body

This information is what I have gathered from various government and health websites - I'm not a professional and I am doing this exploration for my own education in the hopes to gain better control over my own drinking habits. If you have any concerns about your own health due to alcohol consumption you should consult your doctor.

I think one of the keys to bringing my alcohol consumption under control is to understand what alcohol is and how it is processed in my body and also what the long-term effects could be when I am drinking beyond the recommended 1-2 standard drinks (100ml for a glass of wine is 1 standard drink).

From what I have read, unlike carbohydrates, proteins and fats, alcohol cannot be stored in the body therefore in the body needs to metabolise this before anything else, interrupting other processes that may be also occurring in the digestive system.

Nutritional deficiencies can go hand in hand with mass alcohol consumption due to damage in the liver and because, as mentioned above, it takes precedence over other digestive processes. Even moderate alcohol consumption can effect Vitamin B12 which is needed to help make DNA and to maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. Am I'm guessing this is could also cause depression and anxiety during and after drinking?

Folate, Vitamin A and Calcium are also heavily effected by excessive drinking.

Alcohol has also been linked with a range of diseases such as:

• Cardiovascular system – raised blood pressure and triglycerides (especially after binge drinking), damage to the heart muscle and stroke.
• Nervous system – brain damage, tremors, dementia and nerve damage. Alcohol is a depressant drug and affects your coordination, self-control, judgement and reaction times. 
• Mental health - there is growing evidence that alcohol increases the risk of prevalent mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
• Gastrointestinal system – stomach inflammation (gastritis) and bleeding.
• Liver – cancer, hepatitis (inflammation), fatty changes, cirrhosis and liver failure.
• Endocrine system – problems controlling blood sugar, loss of libido and reduced fertility.
• Nutrition – malnutrition (alcohol displaces nutrients from your body) and obesity.
• Breast cancer and other gynaecological problems – women who drink alcohol are at a higher risk than non-drinking women.

Pretty scary, as I can see a number of these things that could already be effecting me at the rate at which I consume alcohol. Blood sugar, over-weight, depression and there is an existing strong history of breast cancer in my family too.

Its not all doom and gloom here, there are plenty of studies saying that low levels of alcohol consumption have some health benefits in certain age groups. The NHMRC Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol have said that controlled drinking reduces the risk of some cardio/cerebrovascular disorders (particularly in middle aged men) and ischaemic stroke (in women after menopause).

But please note: These potential benefits from alcohol can also definitely be gained by other means, such as regular exercise and a wholefoods diet!

The questions that I have to ask myself very honestly are:

Can I control my alcohol intake?
Can I stick to 2 x 100mL glasses per day?

At the moment, the answer from my heart is a very open and honest:

No.

It has now been 2 days without alcohol - it hasn't been too bad, although it definitely has been in the past. I have been meaning to do this for a long time, have had a few failed attempts and have come to realise in the last few weeks that I was no longer drinking for enjoyment or taste - but simply just for the effects of the alcohol.

I want to be able to enjoy alcohol as a little indulgence, not rely on it to get through my working week.

I feel quite empowered today and proud of myself for not being tempted by the Monday I-Need-A-Glass-Of-Wine Blues. Tomorrow will be interesting because it is Melbourne cup which is always accompanied by mass-drinking, but strangely enough I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything nor do I feel remotely like drinking! :)

I have been drinking a lot of mineral water with mint to compensate! And that's probably not create either because of the sodium, so tomorrow I will do a bit of research into some alternative, relaxing, nutritious evening drinks.

Thanks to anyone out there reading this, you're helping me do this.
If you have any comments or experiences that you would like to share please feel free!



References that I looked at:

• medicinenet.com - Alcohol & Nutrition
• Australian Drug Information Network
• NHMRC - Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol
• Better Health Channel