Two Weeks of a Low Carb Diet

I have now officially completed week two of my low carb diet.  By low carb, I mean: no sugars, no breads, no fried and/or breaded foods.  I allow myself fruit.  To be completely honest, it hasn't been that difficult.  The hardest part has been the tedious planning.  I have to make sure that I'm always one step ahead of myself, especially when running errands.  There aren't exactly many places to get a low carb snack or meal in a drive through.  I've been living off these 100 Calorie Cocoa or Cinnamon Roast Almonds as a quick snack option that satisfies my sweet tooth and that I can throw in my purse.   

Other things I've been loving are as follows:

Cauliflower Crust Pizza:  Woah, Mama!  These pizzas are good!  I made the first one and was hooked.  No lie; this crust is better than traditional crust.  It is addicting and so delicious.  I also re-heated a few slices the next day for lunch at work, and it tasted just as delicious. 

Parmesan Rosemary Crackers:  These are a fabulous snack when I am craving something to crunch.  The recipe calls for dill, but I'm addicted to Rosemary, so I add that instead.  These are delicious.  I also omit the salt in the recipe.

Chocolate Mousse/Frosting:  Once again, delicious.  Even my husband liked this, and he HATES anything diet.

Breakfast Meatballs:  Absolutely delicious for a quick go-to breakfast that you can grab and heat.

Paleasagna:  This stuff is FANTASTIC.  I made this initially before I even stared going low-carb.  Even my picky husband will eat it.

Kale Chips:  Absolutely addicting as well.  I omit the Parmesan usually and just add some salt.  Yum!!

Have you ever done a low-carb diet?  What's worked for you?

The Sick Post

I'm home sick today and pretty miserable.  A sinus headache has turned into a probable sinus infection complete with fever, nausea, and all the other fun things that come with a sinus infection.  Good times at the R household.  At least the Olympics are on, right? 

I have a few things that have helped my allergies and sinus issues (and believe me, I have had lots of them), that I wanted to share with you guys. 

Crane Humidifier:  If you have allergies/nasal congestion/children, run don't walk to get this thing.  I purchased mine on Amazon and have never looked back.  It's currently saving my life on my nightstand as I type.  It's filterless, super quiet, and has a great amount of cool steam.  I love this thing dearly. 

Neti pot:  You may judge neti pots until you are in desperate need of relief from one.  I have had a neti pot for years, and use it often when I'm sick.  I don't even buy the solution any longer, I use generic salt (a very small amount) mixed with water.  I especially like using it when I first wake up in the morning.  I know it's gross, blah, blah, but it's incredible. 

Another great non-pharmacological item to use when you're sick is eucalyptus oil.  It's so soothing.  Also, I've heard that marshmallows are good for soothing sore throats.  Go figure!

I'm back, baby....with Coconut Oil

So, I've taken a two month-ish hiatus from blogging.  June was super busy and July was the month from hell personally, but now I'm back in full force.  I have a LOT to catch you guys up on, but first, I want to start with my new love:  coconut oil. 

I'm a certified Amazon addict.  One day, while I was searching for God knows what, I stumbled upon this coconut oil.  First of all, it's super cheap.  Secondly, the reviews were amazing.  I figured I'd give it a try. 

It arrived at my doorstep of course, completely liquefied, because I live in hell (aka South Texas).  It took a little while to solidify in my house, but once it did, I got to town examining it.  The texture is almost like a really fine, fragile shortening.  It's a milky opaque white when solid and clear when liquid.  It melts at the touch of your hand, or in the microwave in about 20-30 seconds.  The smell, also, is AMAZING! 

Here is what I have used this magical stuff for:

1. Makeup remover:  Bye, bye harsh chemical makeup remover that burns my eyes and stings my skin.  This stuff is incredible and leaves my very dry eyes extremely moisturized.  I get a little dab on my fingers, rub my eyes with it, and wipe off with a cotton ball or dark towel. 

2. Hair mask:  I love using this stuff when I take baths.  I apply from about the nape of my neck down and put my hair in a bun.  Then, I put a shower cap on to generate some heat to open the cuticle of the hair so the oil can penetrate the hair easily.  I leave this on as long as I can, usually about 20 minutes, shampoo and condition normally, and my hair feels amazingly silky and soft afterward.

3. Cooking:  You can replace coconut oil with any cooking oil.  I've used this mostly in sweets.  My absolute favorite thing in the world right now is to add a dab of coconut oil to peanut butter and dip pretzels in it.  It is decadent!

4. Dogs:  Cooper (my longhair Dachshund) has severe skin allergies and issues.  His skin dries and flakes very easily after bathing.  I usually use shampoo and conditioner on him, but sometimes the conditioner residue irritates his skin.  One day, I added a dab of coconut oil while shampooing him.  I rinsed thoroughly, and his skin and fur have never been softer.  It was also super moisturized, smelled great, and saved me the added step of applying conditioner.  I've also given Cooper a small spoonful when I want an instant breath freshener.  He loves it, and it's supposed to be a natural anti inflammatory and good for gum health, so win-win.

5. Sun burns: My sweetie is a keeper in soccer, so he usually comes home with sun burns on the weekend, no matter how much sunscreen he applies that morning.  One day after a particularly hot soccer game, he came home with a red face.  After his shower, he slathered some coconut oil on his face felt instant relief.

There about a million other uses for coconut oil, and tons of forums which recommend uses you probably have never thought of.  It's incredible stuff, and I would absolutely recommend it!

Cream of Chicken Soup is Disgusting

Several recipes I have used in the past year or so, have called for 'cream of chicken soup.'  The first few times, I dumped in the gelatinous concoction, without really thinking much of it.  A few months ago, though, I dumped in a can to a casserole and could barely control how disgusted I truly was.  Even though I always purchase the low-fat, low-sodium option, it was truly awful.  The 'chicken' looked like dog food, and it was so jello-y that it held the mold of the can.  Ick!

Yesterday, we made a recipe that called for cream of chicken soup, and I refused to use it.  So, I started searching for substitute recipes, and I found a great and super easy one!  Hubby actually prepared it while I was holed up in bed with a pinched nerve in my back, and he said it couldn't have been easier. 

Here is the link!

my favorite exercise dvd

I love Bethenny Frankel.  Her honesty is refreshing, and my favorite people in the world are always people like her:  you always know where you stand with them, and there is little to no bs involved in the relationship.  I wish people were more open and honest.

If I'm too lazy/unmotivated to go to the gym, I usually pop in a workout DVD.  I used to do the Exercise On Demand on out UVerse, but that is no longer.  However, I wouldn't go back, because now I do the Body by Bethenny DVD.  I absolutely love it.

I've been doing yoga regularly for almost 10 years now, and I consider myself to at least be intermediate to advanced.  I know almost every pose by heart and can do them on demand.  This DVD is perfect for me.  I absolutely cannot STAND to do slow, basic, beginner yoga anymore.  It is beyond boring to me, and I lose interest in 1 nanosecond.  This DVD gets right to the point, and no matter how many times I do it is still challenging.  I usually only do the yoga portion, and at 40 minutes, it is a great and efficient workout.  (Also, bonus:  it is SO relaxing that I feel like I've just been to the spa afterward).

No matter your fitness level, I recommend doing yoga to supplement your regular cardio exercise (or just begin a new exercise regimen).  The calming effects are so addicting, and you can make it as intense or light and easy as you want to!

Getting My Fitness On

I have never been an athletic person, nor am I competitive in nature.  I am on a kickball beer league with my husband, and he loves to tease me about how 'calm and collected' I am the whole time.  It's not like I don't want to win; I just enjoy socializing and chatting more than playing the game.

Last summer, I joined a gym with a friend.  It's a no-contract, no-enrollment fee gym, so I figured I had nothing to lose.  For some reason, I had always had horrible anxiety about going to the gym alone.  In fact, a few years before, I had a gym membership for three months and never went once.  I am so beyond grateful that my friend was my catalyst in joining.   

I initially had some anxiety about the new experience, but with my friend's support, it got easier.  At times, I would have to go by myself.  This time was different because I started going to classes at the gym.  Before, I would go the gym, hop on an elliptical, get bored, and leave within 20-30 minutes.  It was hardly an effective workout, nor was it worth the time and effort of going to the gym.  I absolutely loved the classes and actually found myself (internally of course) competing with fellow class members.  My mantra was (and still is), "if she or he can do those extra reps, so can I!"  Group exercise has truly changed my life and my fitness philosophy.

Now, I am full on addicted to the feeling that I have AFTER I leave the gym.  There is truly no better feeling in the world.  I feel so fulfilled, and my head is so clear after working out that I hope I don't ever stop!

How do you stay fit/healthy?