Hello.

Good morning!

This morning I am starting this a little late today because the kids wanted me to take photos of them. Since I needed some shirts modeled, that worked out well.

So, my thoughts right this second... I am so glad not to be a super-smart, informed, reformed vegan. The vegan community that preaches love and compassion has been so hateful to people who decided to return to eating meat for health reasons. Seeing that kind of hate is upsetting for me-  no matter who it comes from. I understand believing with your entire soul that what you are doing is noble, righteous, and best for optimal health, because that is what I believe about my paleo diet with all of my being. I just really do not like seeing hate spewed and then spreading like wildfire from either side.  I feel like every time I try to get away from this, I find another thread on the etsy forum where someone is bashing people for eating meat, or click on a video that is supposed to be a paleo lecture and end up looking at a film intended to scare or shame meat eaters. I don't believe in factory farming either! Sometimes I listen, hoping to hear a good argument just so I can really consider all options, but I have never even heard a valid argument for it (although I have heard many very compelling arguments that have good intentions but no facts to back them up.) In general I feel like both groups are supporting health, compassion, sustainability, and eating whole foods... we just have different opinions on what that means. I believe in compassion for animals and for people. I also believe that MOST OF US on both sides feel this way, and do not hate the other side. I do not hate vegans/vegetarians. I think really, a few bad apples...or bananas... are making one side or the other look bad.

I also don't like seeing so many lies about health thrown around like gospel. For example, dietary natural fats and cholesterol are good for you. They are not bad for you. They have never been bad for you. Unfortunately, it was pounded in to our heads for so long, that even knowing better it is hard to come to terms with.

I remember when I was in high school, I decided I needed to lose weight, so I went on a very low fat diet, because fat was the villain. I bet I ate less than 10g of fat a day, and my diet consisted mainly of rice-cakes and fat free candy. I lost a lot of wieght, but obviously that was not an optimal human diet!  I also think some of these choices helped create the carb intolerance that I have today. That is another lie. "There is no such thing as carb intolerance or insulin resistance." Ugh. I wish that MORE people know about carb intolerance and insulin resistance. It would have made this journey to reclaiming my health much less frustrating. I understand why people who have not experienced it directly, or second hand may not understand it. It challenges the fundamentals of the conventional wisdom on nutrition. After experiencing it first hand it is very clear to me that it is real.

Anyway, I should get on with things.

Yesterday's food:

Bf: 2 slice bacon, 2 eggs, sprinkled with a little cheese and green chili, fatty coffee
L: Sardines (about 1/3 container), small Salad with oil &vinegar and a little cheese, 1/2 avocado 
D: Wild pronghorn Tenderloin Chops... about 3 oz (omg, the pronghorn cut was amazing, Adam was given these at work) Kale cooked in grassfed butter with almonds mixed in. 
Fatty Chai. Keto Lemonade (water with a good squeeze of lemon, a little apple cider vinegar and a few drops of liquid stevia) 

beef bone broth... not full fat, due to taste

I did have a roller derby practice yesterday also. 

Good morning!

Today was weigh in day, and I was only down one lb from the week before, So that was a bummer. I had my period last week, so I am sure that was related.

This weekend was nice and relaxing. I did not practice on Saturday, which is unusual.

I enjoyed taking the kids to the Zoo on Saturday with my husband. We met my brother and his son and it was nice for the kids to get to play together. My brother has done a similar keto diet for a long time so we got to talk about that.

I am finding that I am not really eating. I will post my meals :

Bf: 2 slice bacon, 2 eggs, sprinkled with a little cheese and green chili, fatty coffee
L: not really hungry, beef bone broth
D: still not hungry... 1 avocado, 1/2 cup sauerkraut (it had elk brats cooked in it so I am sure there were some calories there) Fatty Chai.

So... not really enough of anything, I need to eat a little more.

Anyway, time to get to work!

- Erica

A small rant.

Good Morning!

I found myself ranting in thought while in the shower about a certain  youtube-famous vegan fruitatarian and how bad fashion is sometimes.

I listened to a video of a vegan ranting about how she is allowed to be angry at paleo people specifically- but I am sure she really meant all meat eaters- for eating meat and then listed a lot of reasons that made her look like a complete idiot. Probably because she IS a complete idiot. I don't agree with factory farming, but it is incredibly ignorant to think that just because you don't eat meat that nothing died to feed you. Agriculture has practically wiped out entire species of plants and animals AND animal products are required to grow healthy plants. She also feels that she is paying for peoples sickness (from eating meat) but meat, cholesterol, and saturated fat are not responsible for heart disease, or any disease, that was a big lie based on bad science. In fact, fat, protein, and cholesterol are necessary to build healthy cells (yes your body can scrap together a low quality version of these, because otherwise we would DIE...) . In addition not eating any animal products leads to major deficiencies in most people that CAN cause severe health issues. I hesitate to say all will get sick on that diet, because some seem to do well on it,  but I really feel that a raw vegan low fat diet will eventually take it's toll on almost everyone. I certainly don't care what they eat (with the exception of the vegans I know personally and care and worry about) but the lies being spread like gospel concern me A good read, with some facts about nutrition  (I have seen the linked site accused of "cherry picking" evidence, but in reality that just seems to be an excuse to dismiss the evidence, which is not really hard to find, but very concise on this site.). I could go on... but I don't like being a hater, life is too short for that, and honestly, I don't want to stoop to this person's  level. I just really believe that eating responsibly and ethically sourced meat (especially including organ meat, wild salmon, marrow broth, etc) in addition to as many veggies as your body can tolerate (I can't tolerate many, but I love eating them) is better both for health, society, animals, and the environment.

Then there is fashion... I have been looking at Vogue Collections and am very disappointed in the collections I have been seeing.

I have a degree in fashion design, and while I have not exactly followed that path, I it is still a passion of mine. At least I think it is... the collections I was looking at last night were pretty disappointing, and it makes me question that passion. Sometimes fashion seems like such a joke. Adam Commented on how unhappy one of the models looked, and my response was "look what she's wearing". There were a few gems, but fewer than I am used to, and honestly I page through slowly to really take things  in, so I may see some redeeming collections as I proceed. I found myself feeling bad for the models and hideous, gimmicky, styling the designers put them in. I guess that is part of the job, but it bothers me that designers humiliate models like that. 

Okie dokie, I need to get on with things. 

Have an awesome day! 

♥Erica

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food Log (decided to get back to that)

yesterday

Bf: 2 slice bacon, 2 eggs, sprinkled with a little cheese and green chili, fatty coffee
L: not really hungry, at 3 applewood uncured pepperoni slices and one small piece of sugar free chocolate.
D: Bison liver cooked with onion and yellow bell pepper, and a salad (spinach, arugula and spring mix) with fancy cracked pepper dressing, fatty Chai

( I do organic, free range, fed natural diet, etc. and as much is locally sourced as possible)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy Thursday!

It feels like Friday today! I am ahead on orders- barely- but more than usual. I have my orders for Friday completed and ready to ship today. This is unusual because I always have the most to ship on Fridays so I am often trying to just keep up by working on Friday orders all week. It is not super busy, but it is also not super slow, so I feel like I have accomplished something. :)

I do feel like there are a few things I should be doing to be more productive. I tend to get very distracted looking at forums and checking email. YES, my work email is important, but I could probably be more productive if I just checked it a few times a day. I should also only look at the nutrition and etsy forums briefly during lunch or in the morning before I really wind up for the day.

I have been doing my planks and high intensity intervals in the morning before breakfast, and I am noticing the benifit of that. I am finding that I am faster when I skate and I can get people out when I want to. My legs are still killing me from Monday. Ok... Maybe not KILLING me, like yesterday, but they are sore.

I have been enjoying fatty chai tea in the evenings and my ketones are getting back up to normal. I feel pretty good, but in the afternoons I am still feeling a lull. I am not sure if it is because I should not be drinking coffee, or if it is because I need more salt. When I drink my bone broth in the evening before practice I feel like I am coming back to life, so that would indicate it is a salt/nutrient issue.

I still have not been eating in the evenings, but lately I have been wanting to snack after practice. I am not sure that is a good thing, but I will see what the scale says on Monday.

Okie dokie, Adios for now.

♥Erica

Good Morning!

Not that anyone is reading... I don't think... But good morning, world!

I am tired this morning. My Monday workout throws off my sleep schedule, and last night I did not feel like I slept well, so the sleep deprivation is compounding.

I have been checking my ketones in the mornings while they are a little off. This morning they were up to .7, so that is good. I am still not entirely sure what threw me OUT of ketosis... I really think it was the tiniest bit of watermelon- less than a bite- that I had over week ago. I also ate a little less fat last week, and we know our body prefers to burn fat when it is getting it.

My legs are still sore and burning from Monday, so that is annoying. I used to really enjoy a specific yoga/Pilates fusion video when my body got sore, but it is not on netflix anymore. I wonder if I can get it somewhere else? If I am still sore on thursday it would be good to do for my crosstraining.

 My blood pressure is still low, but a little higher than before,  and I have been trying to get in lots of salt and water.

Salut!

♥Erica

Hello!

Last night I had speed skating class. I was disappointed by the low attendance because I specifically asked people if they would be attending, and several people told me they would be there and didn't show up. Ultimately, it was really their loss, it was a real killer workout and kicked my butt. I am sure I got stronger from it. The unfortunate thing is that I usually feel really awake after it, and it is late, so it messes up my sleep schedule. I wish we could do it a little earlier.

I checked my ketones again today and they are slowly creeping back up.

I don't have much on my mind this morning, I have been procrastinating, but I no longer feel that I have the time for that, so I need to get some things done.

I would say in general I am feeling pretty awesome. :)

Take Care!
♥Erica

Good morning!

I did  not manage to write over the weekend. I guess the only person I cheated with that is myself.

I had an awesome weekend.  On Saturday my league had a mash up bout and I won MVP blocker on my team, so that really made my weekend!

I did feel good about that game and how I played, so it felt really good that others recognized that. I did feel a little brutal in a few cases when it came to blocking some skaters, but my blood-thirst and desire to win overpowered any feelings of guilt caused by that. 

My ketones were really low this morning, and I was actually up two pounds this week when I weighed in this morning. I started my period on Sunday, so I am going to blame the small gain on that. I feel pretty good , but my blood pressure was really low ( 84/49). That is unusual because it is usually high. 

In general, I still feel awesome, still have lots of energy, etc. I am a little confused about my ketones being low, I think I need a little more fat in my diet, I cut back a little last week. 

I am feeling like I need to get started on work, so I think I need to bring this to a close for this morning. 

Hasta,

♥Erica

Good Morning!

I still have not managed to avoid my email before making it here... I suppose if I want a really good journaling experience I should probably do it on paper, which has a nice visceral feeling to it anyway. I have spent long hours writing in journals by hand, but as an adult I really like the spell check that comes with computer writing. I just looked up a word and it made me realize that kids probably look up definitions on the internet these days instead of in the dictionary. We have gained a wealth of information that is such an ease to accumulate that I wonder how long people will posses the skills to read a map or alphabetize.

I am loving ketosis, as always. My fruit debacle has inspired thoughts of wild foods. Most produce we find in the store is not really as healthy as we give it credit for, at this point much of it has been grown for look or flavor rather than health, and are basically frankenfoods, like wheat.

I have started listening to biochemistry lectures while I work, so that has been interesting.

Until Tomorrow,

♥Erica

I managed to spend LESS time looking at my email, etc. this morning, but did not avoid it all together...

Oh well.  I am here... and that is half the battle, or something.

Yesterday, after my fruit debacle ( I had much less than a bite of watermelon and it threw my body into a chaotic disarray) I was feeling pretty crappy, so crappy that I almost skipped roller derby practice, but I am glad I did not, because it made me feel much better.

The intense and constant energy I get in ketosis is really amazing. I feel like I can go forever- and since I am running on my fat stores, I probably CAN go for a pretty damn long time... I often feel like my feet will blister to the point I can not stand before my muscles will give out on me. Before I was in ketosis, I know there was something off because I struggled to find the energy just to keep up with everyone. This made sense during times that I was out of practice, but was really annoying during the times I really put in the effort to improve.

I like finally feeling like I am making progress both in my athletic and weight-loss efforts. The last five-plus years have been an agonizing disappointment as I attempted everything I could to set my body back on track.

I am reading The Vegetarian Myth by  Lierre Kieth

It is well written, and I am enjoying it. As someone who has had Vegan and Vegetarian tenancies, and never felt well eating that way, and someone who is eating a paleo-style diet now, it resonates with me. I am struggling with my opinion of vegan diets. The science is pretty clear that we really do need some animal protein to thrive, but some people seem to do will on vegan diets and that confuses me. Then there are so many long time vegans starting to turn to a paleo style diet...

I feel like everyone should do what keeps them happy and healthy, but I don't really understand how anyone can be happy or healthy when they should be starving on a cellular level. I do think it is a great way to clean out your system, especially if they had been eating a standard American diet, I just suffer to see how it could possibly be sustainable for a healthy life. 

Take care for now, 

♥Erica

Everything is going well, and like most people, I tend to stay more quiet when all is well. I am going to try to write in this every day- not sure that is likely, but I am hoping to spend just a few minutes here every day before I check my email and my orders. Unfortunately, today was supposed to be my first day doing that and I already failed! I have already checked and answered my personal and work email, my etsy shop, my facebook,  and two message boards I look at (a low carb one and the etsy one). So, tomorrow I hope to do a little better.

My weight loss journey is going well, generally. I have lost over 20 lbs in about 6 weeks rather effortlessly. After trying for over 5 years with no improvement I am extremely pleased with that. I still have a long way to go, but I am making great strides towards my goal, and my overall health has improved dramatically. I have energy, my skin has improved, joint pain has gone away, and my teeth feel strong and look healthy and white.... just to name a few ways I feel better.

I love ketosis.

Unfortunately, I learned for the third time yesterday that my body can not tolerate fruit.  After having a PAPER THIN slice of watermelon that was LESS THAN AN INCH, square I noticed keto-flue symptoms, and when I checked my ketones I was barely in ketosis. Yikes. I should add, that was eaten with a meal. I find it really amazing that such a tiny amount of fruit and carbs could have such a huge effect on me. I think it is the fructose, our bodies metabolize fructose differently. I am shaky on the facts, so I will listen to more talks about that today while I work.

Speaking of work, I should get to that...

Take care !

♥ erica

I got in late last night from Tuscon, where I had attended the Dust Devil  roller derby tournament and skated with my team, the Munecas Mueartas. I have mixed feelings about the weekend. I did not get enough sleep, and I am feeling the effects of that. I know that it is super important and am not feeling like I am functioning as well without it. I also did not have the concentration  wanted to have. I also noticed I was not able to hit out some girls when I wanted to. I think I need to practice some jackhammer style hitting and also work on strengthening my core.

On the other hand, my body felt amazing. I felt like I could seriously go forever, even after the third game of the weekend.  I do really love how ketosis feels.

I started making bone broth last week, and I think that really helps me get a nice dose of sodium, potassium and other nutrients much better than the store-bought broth. It is pretty tasty, too. My salt intake seems to have a very direct impact on how well I skate and feel doing exercise.

 I feel like I am starting to find my glow again, so I love that. I have been so unsatisfied with myself and full of disdain that have not really been seeing a positive reflection of myself in my interactions with others. More often I feel like I am giving off the glow of self-love and confidence, and it seems to be engaging people

I lost about three pounds this week, and I weighed a week early, so that is awesome. My ketones read the highest yet, 1.4 mm. So that is awesome, too.

In other news, I have been really enjoying listening to the relentless roger and caveman dr podcasts :)

I am still a bit behind from the crazy derby weekend, so it is time to get back to the grind :)

♥Erica

Good morning.

I am going to use this as more of a daily journal since I am tracking a lot on My Fitness Pal, and this is really supposed to be a blog about self-improvement- on all levels.

 I am still enjoying this new ketogenic lifestyle and I am continuing to lose weight, and I think I am also gaining muscle. When you are losing weight on a low calorie diet, you are in a catabolic state, or losing muscle, but in keto, even when you are losing weight you are in an anabolic state.

Keto is not exactly paleo, but in many ways they seem to go together and I have really been enjoying listening to all of the paleo, bodyhacking, and ketogenic podcasts and youtube videos. I made my first batch of bone broth earlier this week, and LOVE it. It cooked so long that there were only about two cups of it, so I made a second batch that will be done soon. I used more water and a bigger pot, so I will end up with a larger quantity.

Lately my older daughter is driving me crazy. I feel bad, because she get's in trouble more than her sister, and I often feel like I love her sister more. Right now I am not really sure what to do with Autumn most of the time. She is only almost 6- I fear for her teenage years.

Today I will be leaving for Tuscon, and I still have a lot of work to complete. I know I will get it done, but I feel a little stressed about it anyway. I am looking forward to playing roller derby, but I am sad to be leaving my family. Some drama surfaced within my team this week and while I am glad it was addressed and worked out it has me turned off a bit to derby again already- and we are only a few games in to the season.

I am listening to Autumn play on her leap pad, and her sister is sitting with her. It is cold. I feel awake and ready to get some work done, but more stressed than I would like to be.

Take Care,
♥Erica