Good  Morning! 

I don't feel like I have much to say... so lets see where I go. 

I entered the food I ate last week in to a food calculator. My calories were suprisingly consistent, so that was cool. I did notice I was way under on protein, so I am going to try to step it up. I did well with that yesterday. 

I feel pretty good, but I am bummed out that I seem to be stalling. I am thinking about starting a youtube video blog because I find the vlogs I have seen about others on the keto diet to be really inspiring. I just worry because it seems like people can be pretty cruel on youtube and a lot of people seem to troll around there.

The kids made a huge mess upstairs in their rooms yesterday, so that was disappointing.  I did not see it, but when Adam put autumn to bed he said it looked like they spilled a whole gallon of water on the floor.

I made a new design yesterday, maybe I will post it on my other blog... it is a drawing of one of our cats wearing a crown :)

I am feeling a little apathetic today. I would like to feel happier. I guess the best way to do that is to get happy- I strongly believe we create our lives and are in charge of our emotions ( for the most part, of course, I have also suffered from severe depression, etc. so I know how that feels uncontrollable) .

So... lets end this post with five things that make me happy...

1. My awesome, sweet, handsome, wonderful husband
2. My Children (when they are not driving me crazy, lol)
3.  Cats. I love cats.
4. Being self employed.
5. Playing roller derby.

Life really is pretty awesome.


Food Journal:

Yesterday

breakfast 
2 eggs scrambled with green chili and cheese
2 slices bacon
1 cup fatty coffee.

Lunch- Still working on that roast chicken, Skin on 1/2 serving (4 small squares) of lillys dark chocolate (no sugar, stevia sweetened) 

Snack, Fatty chai

Dinner
1/2 cup sauerkraut (leftover from yesterday, Brats were cooked in it) , 6 uncured pepperoni slices(large) 1.5 oz Robusto cheese. 1/2 avocado

Calories: 1358 Carbs: 15 Fat: 117 Protein: 70 

I did much better on the protein !

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

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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)
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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

Food and Exercise Journal entries

I had these written down, but did not get a chance to transpose until now...

••Saturday••

Breakfast: 2pc Whole foods black Forrest bacon, 3 eggs scrambled in bacon grease, Topped with green chili and organic grass-fed cheddar cheese

Snack/part of breakfast: Drank 2 cups of coffee, both with creamer,1tbsp coconut oil and 1/2 tbsp butter ... (spread out over about 3 hours until lunch)

Lunch: 28 oz green juice and slices of cheese

Snack: BIG plate of no-tortilla enchiladas Shredded chicken with grass fed cheddar cheese on top and green chili- also super easy to make.

It is 9pm and I am not hungry at all. I will not be eating more tonight.

♦exercise- very low intensity roller derby practice.

♥Ketone level: moderate

••Friday••

 Breakfast:
2 1/2 boiled omega-3 eggs, glass of green veggie juice (made from a very wide variety of veggies)

Snack/part of breakfast: Drank 2 cups of coffee with creamer and butter... (spread out over about 3 hours until lunch)

Friday Lunch: 2 eggs scrambled in butter sprinkled with organic cheese and a spring mix salad (about 2 cups topped with annies organic goddess dressing and organic cheese)

Friday Snack: (same as lunch)

Additional food: Drank an additional 28 oz of green juice.

Friday Dinner: 80/20 %  Grass fed hamburger... large-ish cooked rare, no bun, pickles, wrapped in romaine lettuce (not used to eating meat this way :/ )  salad  (about 2 cups topped with annies organic goddess dressing and organic cheese)

♦exercise- Rock Climbing with Adam and Autumn

••Thursday••

Thursday Lunch:
Lunch 3 scrambled eggs cooked in bacon grease with cheese sprinkled on it and a salad (spring mix annies organic goddess dressing, cheese)

Thursday dinner:
2 pc Whole Foods Black Forrest Bacon (only one carb for both slices! I was shocked)


♦exercise- 1 hour speed skating class at roller skate city

Food Journal Entries

Dinner last night: 4oz steak and big green salad Breakfast: Eggs and green juice Lunch: Chicken and salad Snack: Green juice and protien powder I calculated my calories from yesteday and it came out to less than 1600 calories. According to the book I am reading, that is bad news. I am going to work on increasing my caloric intake to at least 2000 calories a day of meat and fresh fruit and veg.