Fitter at Forty

Over the past few years, blogging has had to be pushed to the background as I have focused on raising children, supporting my husband in his teaching and music pursuits (and he in my music pursuits and other interests), and doing it all within a fairly small budget. Our last child is now two years old and this past summer I decided to make good on what I had been promising myself for years. Now that there will be no more pregnancies with all the weight fluctuation and hormonal changes that brings, I wanted to get back to my slimmer self and gain control over some unhealthy issues I had with food. This wasn't only a desire to look better but to feel better and be healthier. Six pregnancies (and five babies) took its toll on my health and body and now I felt I could and should focus a bit more on myself so that I have more to give my family.

Initially my goal was to exercise more rigorously every day in an effort to lose weight, so I left early each morning for a brisk walk, ear buds inserted. I really enjoyed that time to myself and looked forward to it each day. It was good for my physical and emotional health, and my stamina increased--but I didn't lose any weight. So I thought, okay, I must need to tweak my eating habits as well, but I didn't know what. I had the gut feeling that my issues might be related to some hormones being out of whack and started looking up books that could teach me about that. I came across two books that looked promising and checked them out at my local library. They provided a wealth of information and many things rang true to me.

In her book The Hormone Reset Diet, Sara Gottfried explains the different functions of each hormone and what happens when they are adversely affected by things like poor diet, too much stress, bad sleep habits, and even environmental factors. Taking the survey at the beginning of the book helped me pinpoint where my problems were and with which probable hormones, which gave me a springboard for action.

I knew that many things wouldn't be an issue for me, like alcohol or caffeine, but others, like sugar, gluten, and dairy, would be very difficult. Going off sugar wouldn't be too bad--I'd done that plenty of times in my life--but I'd never tried to go off all gluten or dairy products. I was a little apprehensive about trying something so drastic, but the more I read and listened to my body and thought about the results I wanted, the more I felt that this was something I needed to do. Knowing that "diets" are so often ineffective or harmful because people don't/can't maintain them, I suspected that many of the changes I made needed to be permanent. So I needed to commit myself to being all in. While my kids didn't like the change in routine (though the food I made for them didn't change much), my husband was very supportive, which helped a lot. Everyone needs a cheerleader and sounding board when they're making a significant change like this!

Gottfried's approach seemed a bit overwhelming at first, but as I became more acquainted with it, I realized that she takes it one thing at a time, which helps it seem doable--particularly for women, for whom this diet is geared toward. In other words, rather than going "cold turkey" on everything at once, you give up one thing at a time in three day increments. So, while you are further restricting yourself every three days, it's still easier than restricting everything all at the same time. For example, the first reset you go meatless (red meat) to reset your estrogen and the second reset you go sugarless to reset insulin. The third reset is for leptin, which I suspected, for me, was broken, or at least limping along. (Leptin is the hormone that helps you know when you're satisfied and should stop eating.) I'd never restricted fruits before, so that was definitely something new for me and I started feeling the deprivation that is common at the beginning of a new diet. As it turned out, that was a feeling that was to remain my almost constant companion for about two weeks, as I gave up grains and dairy in turn. Those first two weeks were definitely the hardest as I dealt with things like regular hunger, fuzzy thinking, and light-headedness, and I have to admit that wasn't a very fun time in my life. But I was committed and just kept plugging along, focused on my goal.

One thing to be wary of in learning about new diets is their claims about how much weight you can lose in a specified small amount of time. In this case, it was 15 pounds in three weeks. That was how much weight I initially wanted to lose and the idea that I could in less than a month kept me going. But what such claims don't factor into account is that everyone's bodies are different and respond differently and at different times. So in my case, I wasn't way overweight (just uncomfortable in my own skin) and wasn't eating the traditional bad American diet. I already had many good health and diet habits that I had maintained for years and this reset diet wasn't going to magically melt off my extra pounds in three weeks. That was kind of a hard lesson to realize. In fact, it actually took me two weeks to lose two or three pounds! (As I recorded in my food journal, "I must have been eating better than I thought.") What kept me going--and I think this is critical in any diet change--is that I felt better. My stomach was flatter than it had been in a long while, I didn't feel bloated or gassy any more, and I no longer had an energy crash after lunch every day. So I knew something was working.

Another factor in creating a lasting change in diet, losing weight, and/or improving your fitness level is keeping a record. I learned that 1) keeping a health journal or diary and 2) recording what you eat for every meal is crucial to success. The first provides perspective--the ability to look back and see that yes, real progress has been made, even if not in the ways you expected. It also gives you a place to write your goals so you can see them regularly and remember why you're doing this--and reach them! The second provides accountability. Recording what you eat is a small (and often inconvenient) thing to commit to, but when you know you're going to have to record that snack or sweet, it does make you pause and consider if you really need it or if you could make a healthier choice.

On August 12, 2019 I wrote in my food diary: "My goal for this reset is to lose 15 pounds, to feel more energetic throughout the day, to be able to sleep better (consistently), and to feel more comfortable and confident in my own skin (not so self-conscious). Also, to have greater clarity of thought."

By August 18th, I had found an app for my phone that helped immensely in accurately recording my foods and their carb, calorie, and protein amounts to help me stay on track. Trying to find all that information online for each food was just way too time intensive! I had also learned that eating a pound of veggies a day was harder than I expected. Typically our family dinner is focused around vegetables (we still get a Bountiful Basket each week), so I thought I was already eating quite a bit of veggies. But making an effort to eat a minimum of three cups of vegetables a day has really changed things for me. Now I truly love vegetables in a way I never have before and I want to eat them at every meal and miss them when I can't. I even like beets now (when I used to hate them)! It really is true what Gottfried says about our taste buds regenerating every two weeks. In two weeks I had trained my body to want more healthful foods and my taste buds regenerated to agree with those desires so that I enjoyed my improved diet more than I thought possible. I learned that it is possible to survive without cheese and re-learned how good lemon/lime water is for those times when I want to snack but need to hold off.

Throughout this hormone reset experiment the word "nourish" kept coming to mind. I felt like the varied foods I was eating nurtured my body in a way I'd never experienced before and it made me feel that I loved and was taking care of myself. Instead of just eating what I knew would most fill me up and keep me full longer (namely a lot of whole wheat products), I was eating what would nourish my body with a variety of nutrients.

One big thing I focused on quite well for a while (and need to get back to) was my sleep. Science has proven that good sleep fosters healthy weight and I have long known how important adequate sleep is to my personal health and wellness. Gottfried recommends helping the mind and body prepare for sleep by taking nightly baths with epsom salts and essential oils. I've always been a shower person, but I really enjoyed getting back to baths and allowing myself that time to slow down and unwind. As the mother of five, it's not always possible to arrange this, but when I can do it it's a helpful routine--part of the "nourish" concept.

I did learn that keeping carbs to 75 g per day was very difficult and I hated feeling like carbs were the enemy. After some time I upped my limit to 100 g and that was much easier. I add fiber powder to my breakfast shake each morning but otherwise I prefer to get my fiber from foods in their natural form--which really seems impossible when you're keeping carbs to 75 g a day!

About this time I felt I should incorporate some of what I learned in the second book I checked out from the library, The Adrenal Reset Diet by Alan Christianson. I have always understood the importance of complex carbs and whole grains and their health benefits, and I didn't want to deprive my body of that. Christianson's focus is on strategically increasing carbs throughout the day so that dinner contains much more carbs than breakfast, since carbs increase cortisol output, which naturally helps our bodies prepare for sleep. (Did I mention how important quality sleep is to a healthy weight?)

Not surprisingly, I learned that I had been eating too much sugar and that I need to keep sugar and breads to a minimum because they are "avalanche foods" for me--meaning they are foods that, once I start eating, I have a hard time stopping or eating in moderation. And I learned that while 100% whole wheat bread is the best bread choice (which I've eaten all my life), it's still basically "refined" when it comes to how the body processes it, as opposed to eating whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, etc, which are eaten in their natural state.

Even though I have lost those 15 pounds I wanted to at the beginning, I would still like to lose another five or more to get back to the weight I was when I got married. I'm not totally sure that's possible, but I think it might be. I figure as long as I keep getting back on the bandwagon when I fall off and keep making an effort to continue exercising five days a week and being as active as I can, nourishing my body as well as I can, my body will do what it should do. In the meantime, I have quietly reveled in the accomplishment of losing three inches around my hips and dropping 2-3 pant sizes (depending on the pants--since sizing practices have changed over the years). I am thrilled to have a little "thigh gap" back and to have a better body image and food relationship.

So the quest continues... Onward and upward!

Townhouse Gardening--What I've Learned

This is my first post in two years and three months, so if you thought I was finished with this blog, you're not alone! Life just got too busy for me to spend much time at the computer and I've been focusing on other things. But as fall approaches and I realize my gardening is drawing to a close for the season, I have been reflecting back on how far things have come and how much I've learned this past year about what I call "townhouse gardening." We never thought we'd end up in a townhouse, but it has been a blessing in many ways. However, when I first saw this tiny courtyard and realized my dreams for land would have to be postponed, my heart sank. Ugly rocks and cement was all I saw and it seemed too small to do anything with. Happily, over time my vision expanded as my imagination saw how it could be more. 

So if you, like me, want to garden but have only "a small bit of earth," read on... (See my list at the end of things learned so far.)

After building and filling a Square Foot Garden box (always a staple in our gardens), I turned my attention to other potential garden spots, focusing on areas that receive a lot of sun. I decided on three places and we cleared them of rocks. 

Two of the areas are shown in these first three pictures: the fenced-in place to the right of the stairs, and the area to the left of the front door. Thankfully, my husband was able to do most of the digging to loosen up the sad soil that has been smothered in rocks for who knows how long. (Now we're working on improving the soil, which process will include clearing another area soon for a compost pile.)

Five months ago I planted quite a few strawberry plants in this section--a total experiment, since summers are so hot here (triple digits for three or four months in a row). While most of the plants survived, they didn't get much bigger, so I recently opted to add other plants for ground cover and additional aesthetic appeal. Hopefully they'll spread well next spring and fill out this area.

At the back I added two lavender plants that smell lovely.

And interspersed among the strawberries I planted these fun sun roses. (The mesh effectively prevents the neighbors' cat from using this as a litter box.)

Last year I planted several things in buckets and some did better than others. This year the chard and basil (which was a volunteer) have done well all season. After my oldest daughter tried flowers from seed without enough success, we opted to fill them with flower plants instead. We have especially enjoyed the vinca, which has continued to bloom all summer and thrives in the high heat as long as we water it well every day. 

 

In the plot to the right of the stairs I planted more strawberry plants, which have thrived there. (Yay!) My second daughter planted sunflowers here as well, which are so fun to watch grow.

To the left of the stairs, for the second year, I planted tomatoes--with cilantro in the middle. It was very interesting and gratifying to see how much better the plants grew this year, after a winter of adding ash and charcoal to the soil. We'll keep working on it for next spring.

A couple months later later, the cilantro had grown taller than the tomato plants (here it is going to seed).

Behind the tomatoes we planted a row of marigolds for pest control and added beauty and they thrived beautifully in the early summer. Marigolds are always a great one to plant from seed!

In the garden box in front of the woodpile I first planted tomatoes and a pepper. Unfortunately, cockroaches ate up the pepper plant as well as everything else I planted there, except for tomatoes, squash, and some stevia. So I will be taking other measures next year, to protect against those beastly bugs. 

The tomato plants grew rapidly and thrived here, soon growing as tall as the woodpile.

Tomatoes plumping up!

 

And, while this is a poor picture, it shows how tall our tomato plants are now--taller than the fence behind it and nearly as tall as me!

So here are the five main things I have learned about townhouse gardening: 

1) Any improvement, no matter how small, makes a big difference quickly. 

2) It's less stress, much less overwhelming, and takes less time than a yard does (of course). 

3) It's less expensive to overhaul and maintain. 

4) It's easier to keep track of everything and know how each plant is doing. 

But here is the most important thing I've learned: 

5) If I can still garden with this small space, just about anyone can! No excuses! :)

Carrot Cake

Originally posted five years ago, this family favorite recipe has undergone a few changes over the years. It is even better now (in our family's opinion) by the substitution of honey for sugar and, in the frosting, raw sugar for powdered. Besides being delicious and satisfying, it also uses lots of carrots for those times when I need to use a lot up. And what a lovely way to eat carrots! (Zucchini can also be used with the carrots or in place of them.)

Original recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, p. 159:

Best-Ever Carrot Cake

4 beaten eggs
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. honey (or a little more, if you like your cake sweeter)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. finely shredded carrots and/or zucchini (lightly packed)
3/4 c. oil

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour 9 x 12" cake pan.

In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, honey, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.

In medium bowl combine eggs, carrots, and oil.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool thoroughly.

Top with cream cheese frosting:

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
A couple cups of raw sugar, to taste

Spicy Chicken Stew

This is a brand new recipe for our family and already I see it making its way onto our Family Favorites list. We all loved it! It has the perfect mix of spices to make it delicious and interesting bite after bite. I found the recipe here and love how I can change it up each time by using whatever vegetables I need to. (In this case I didn't have carrots but needed to use up some celery and summer squash, to add to the frozen corn.)

The original recipe makes this in the crock pot, but could just as easily be made on the stove top. It would also be yummy without the chicken.

Depending on what's available I have served it with cheese, sour cream, salsa, cilantro, avocados, and tortilla chips.

Note on spiciness: For our family's tastes I have found that half the amount of spices is more than sufficient. If it ends up too spicy I add canned tomatoes and/or tomato sauce until it's more mild.

Spicy Chicken Stew

2 baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb.), peeled and cut into chunks (3 1/3 c.)
1 (10 oz.) package frozen sweet corn
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (1 c.)
1 onion, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12.5 oz.) jar salsa
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, halved (about 1 lb.) and 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 10.5 oz.) (I used home-bottled chicken instead, which also gave me the broth I needed.)
2 1/2 c. chicken broth

Place potatoes, corn, celery, carrots, onion and garlic in slow cooker. Stir in salsa, salt, cumin, chile powder, and pepper. Distribute chicken evenly on top of vegetables and pour chicken broth over chicken. Cover slow cooker and cook stew on high for 4 hours.

Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with two forks into bite-size chunks; return to slow cooker. Serve warm.

Bean Salad Salsa

When a friend of mine brought our family some chips and this "salsa," I knew I had to have the recipe! Each of my kids even likes it--and they're not all fans of beans, bell peppers, or onions--so that really says a lot! Even though it's a new recipe for us, it has already made its way firmly into the Family Favorites category. I replaced the white sugar with honey, omitted the hot pepper sauce, and didn't have cannellini beans, but made no other modifications. My friend prefers to half the oils: I like it either way. The original recipe can be found at allrecipes.com.

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (or another kind), drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
2 Tb. fresh lime juice
1 Tb. lemon juice
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 Tb. ground cumin
1/2 Tb. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder

In large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.

In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, honey, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Add chili powder and season to taste.

Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables. Mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

"Do You Use Agave?"

I get this question all the time when people find out that I don't use regular refined sugar anymore.

The short answer is, "No."

A slightly longer answer is, "I haven't ever felt the need because I'm used to using honey, which we always have a supply of" (gratefully).

And here is the long answer:

Agave isn't as healthful as many people believe. For one thing, many types of bottled agave nectar call it "raw" when, in fact, it is heat treated and therefore does not still contain its enzymes and nutrients--unlike actual raw honey (which is what I use). And also unlike raw honey, agave syrup is not a “whole” food, but rather a fractionated and processed food. In fact, the way it is processed is similar to how High Fructose Corn Syrup is processed! (link)

The reason agave nectar is touted as "low glycemic" and therefore better for diabetics, is because of "the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%)." Interestingly enough, "Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally." This article lists 9 ways that fructose is actually bad for the body and can lead to serious health conditions, since it has to be metabolized by the liver (instead of by every cell in the body, like glucose is).

Even Dr. Oz, a year ago, retracted his endorsement of this sweetener for the reasons mentioned above (see article here) and urges consumers instead, "to use the smallest amount [of agave] possible."

This site even makes the shocking statement that, "Agave nectar may just be the unhealthiest sweetener in the world. It makes regular sugar look healthy in comparison… and that is saying something."

Indeed.

New Information on Daily Aspirin Intake

I just read this in the news and thought I'd pass along the information for anyone who missed it. The basic lowdown is: "Someone taking aspirin with a low risk for heart attack or stroke can cause more harm than good." If you are at risk, taking aspirin daily can improve your situation, but if not, don't take it daily. See the above link for details.