It's All About How You Wake Up

I am SO blessed. I have so many people cheering for me on my journey to greatness...it's really quite amazing.  My husband, my family, my core group of girls, my personal trainer, my chiropractor, my life coach, my readers...and that's just the start!  I truly believe that critical to your success is being surrounded by a group of people who believe in you and all of your aspirations - in other words, rid the haters (non-believers) from your life!

My personal trainer and I...going through the motions of bicep curls. 
I love this picture...screams "Guided Progress" - Oh, how far I've come...

As I have expressed in several blog posts back, I am really working on being a daily 5amer.  I have so many goals, so many dreams, and I know that part of my success lies in rising early and tackling the day.  My shoddy schedule of LATE nights just isn't going to cut it...I'm sure many of you can relate to this example: 
 
Picture yourself back in college...(or perhaps in your job facing a similar deadline pressure) with a major 10-page paper due in the morning. Because you've procrastinated, you're now forced to pull an all-nighter (which, at this point you are accustomed to doing as this is not your first rodeo) So, you begin to crank out words around 9pm...at around 2am, you are really on a roll.  Words are coming to you like magic, your starting to persperate because your creative juices have you feeling like you are quite literally on fire. You hit an inevitable wall around 4am just as you are attempting to proof your work; but at this hour there is really no point because all of your thoughts now are just starting to run together. At around 6am, you put the final touches on the paper, save, and hit print.  Project complete with just enough time left to jump in the shower and get to class.  You stroll into class the next morning, feeling a sense of accomplishment and thinking to yourself that it's the most brilliant thing you've ever written.  You hand over the paper with pride and anxiously wait for the "A" grade back. Days later you discover - in much astonishment - that you have completely bombed the paper.  At first you think, "How could this be? It was my best writing yet!"  As you begin to re-read your work, you feel yourself sinking in your seat..."Oh no, are these really my words? What in the word was I thinking?"  Typos, grammar issues, mistakes galore....yep all in a night's work.

That same scenario is true for me today. In the late hours of the night - no matter how much clarity I think I have - too much of the time my evening accomplishments are re-dos because even though I am awake...I am still, as the saying goes, "asleep at the wheel".  I have always claimed to be a "night person" but I know now that I have simply learned to be a "night person". Staying up through the night and sleeping away the morning are far from natural.  Last I checked, I am not a cat, an owl, or an opossum.  Right?
 

One of my favorite quotes is, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."  - Well said, Benjamin Franklin.

So, again, I must embrace this 5am thing.  To do all that I need to do in a day...there isn't really another option. It's a waste of energy/time, to spend re-doing anything that should already be done. 

The video below really put things in perspective for me. Take a look...

How Bad Do You Want It from Greyskale Multimedia LLC on Vimeo.

Among other things, my life coach is really helping me on my journey to embrace the day early.  My issue is that the more stress I have in my life - and right now it's on the heavy swing - the more I want to hide under the covers than face the day ready to overcome.  I am equipped with a auto sleep button.  Anytime I want to sleep, I can.  Like right now, I am wide awake (even without the caffeine in my life) - yet if I chose to, I could crawl under my desk and be sound asleep in less than 5 minutes.  It's a gift and curse. 

I desire to rise with ease early in the morning (5am) - even with lofty deadlines at-hand - and head to bed around 10/11pm each night vs. living with the zero sleep schedule that I have right now.  I go to bed each night at a different hour (deadline contingent) - sometimes not at all - and wake up at a different hour - sometimes not at all.  See what I mean?  Let's face it, getting up early gives you a head start and a decided edge. 

Words from the Life Coach
So, this week I've had my share of practicing the early rise.  I have to say...as expected I'm loving it and feeling oh, so accomplished!  Monday started off a little bleak...I didn't get out of bed until 6:45am. Later that morning, I received a voicenote (transcribed below) from my Life Coach that's really helped me get things turned around.  It's proven to be just the set of words I needed to have the right state of mind to pull myself out of bed in the early a.m.  I'm sharing in hopes that it will help you, too!  No matter what time you need to wake up...it's a great message to all!

It’s all about how you wake up!
Just wondering how you rolled out of bed this morning? Did you think consciously of your day to come?  Did you direct your mind to visualize about the opportunities that exist rather than things that may overwhelm? In other words, did you visualize a positive day? See yourself really taking control of it? Overcoming challenges that you have otherwise stayed away from?  It’s all about how you wake up!

First, set your alarm clock to a song that makes you smile. Something that slowly gains momentum so that it wakes you up but in a calming, gentle manner vs. the standard ultra annoying and sometimes startling approach. 

As you first awaken, don't jump right out of bed.  Lay still for a just a couple of minutes.  Allow your subconscious to nudge you how you proceed in those first few moments upon rising.  Under the direction of your subconscious, slowly allow your mind to find your breathe and take just a few moments to stretch your limbs. 

Then as you rise out of bed, make sure that you greet your morning in a very directive manner.  This takes visualization...gain a true sense your breathing, of your skin, your muscles and your organs...appreciate the gift of life. Begin thinking about your day, and determine how you are going to be successful in those first few hours of your morning. Visualize the opportunities that exist...see yourself achieving and overcoming.  

As you take the first step forward to embarking on a new day, realize that you already have much to celebrate. You're awake and giving yourself the gift of the first morning hours. It's time to greet your day, and remember it's in the morning that you are presented with all manner of possibilities.  You, my friend, are choosing to not miss a minute of it.  


--
Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Early Rise!  
Mrs. Skinny Fat

Phase 2: Days 7 - 13

I have now made it through the most difficult period of withdrawal.  Congratulations to me! I'm actually starting to think I could survive without caffeine in my daily life - "think" being the key word!  The odd thing was that my week long muscle aches were completely gone today...really? So fascinating! 

So while I enjoyed a mini-celebration for making it to day 7, now starts the more vigorous part of the program in terms of detoxification.  Food intake for these next seven days is very simple:  fruits, vegetables, fats (which only includes cold-expeller pressed olive, flaxseed, canola, safflower, sunflower, sesame, walnut, pumpkin, or almond oils), beverages (filtered or distilled water, or herbal tea), All Natural Spices, and Brown Rice (one portion, once daily).  I have also had to increase my powered supplement (it still makes me choke here and there) from twice daily to three times daily, and same goes for my encapsulated supplement. 

Inside the "patient guide" reading material, it's recommended that the fruits and vegetables consumed during this time be organically grown if possible.  If not, it's recommended to wash them thoroughly to remove and potential residue.  If I had to guess, I would say that 65% of my food intake is organic - it's particularly hard this time of year to get my hands on organic fruits and veggies so doing the best that I can. Oh how I wish we had a Whole Foods in the area. 

Also,  it's noted that while this is not a calorie-restricted program, that you may actually find that you are eating fewer calories...hmm - duh - it's basically fruits and vegetables!. The material goes on to say, "Many people notice that they are hungry initially, but that tends to dissipate.  Most people continue with normal activities: job, school, home, and play. Recognize, however, if you are getting light-headed or excessively fatigued you may be experiencing low blood sugar.  Keeping an apple or pear handy will usually solve this problem." Sounds like a freakin' blast! :) No, in all honestly - I know the pay-off of enduring these 28 days will be well worth it.  Once complete - and the toxins are removed, my body will actually reap so much more of the clean eating benefits. 

Well, I have officially survived day seven - even with my mom's birthday dinner (tonight) in the mix. I made my own salad dressing at home and brought it with me (olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar and dry mustard) and ordered a salad with all veggies - nothing else. Mr. asked if it was legal to bring in my own salad dressing... haha - Legal? Well, I didn't get arrested for it!  It was weird because while it wasn't easy - it also wasn't that hard. My mouth wasn't salivating over their meals by any means...so I think I'm going to manage this week filled with travel, a business luncheon, and one more restaurant dining just fine.  Onward & Upward.

From L to R: One of my three brothers (other two are out of state), Mr. & I,
and my dad & mom celebrating my mom's birthday.
Thank goodness they all tolerate my quest to reach my ultimate state of health! 

I can't wait to hear what my body has to say about all of this: I get my next Bio Analysis done on Thursday.  Stay tuned!


Keep it Clean!
Mrs. Skinny Fat

A Bit of Ramblings & My Favorite Thing Friday: Pineapple Wedger

Before I dive into my Favorite Thing Friday, let me first go completely off topic and give a quick update on the detox.  Today - day 4 - the eating was much easier.  I managed to choke down the powdered supplement shakes with a new found grace.  I think...hope..that I am finally acquiring the bitter taste.  Apparently, my body is still going through withdrawals as the odd feeling muscle aches are still in full force.  I avoided taking any relief and instead just downed the water even more so than normal...It helped, some.  I knew I had to get in four miles today and was absolutely dreading it because of how tender everything was feeling internally.  However, as typical, I ventured out and had an amazing run.  It's funny how working out and eating right are the two things that I never go to bed regretting. 

Tonight's run was unusually grand thanks to some great advice from my Life Coach. We were chatting earlier today about running and she said something that really resonated with me.  She said (in so many words), "You know Tonya (me...Mrs. Skinny Fat), when it comes to running - there's no such thing as a free ride. Just like when you are strength training and visualizing each isolated muscle getting tighter, you need to give the same energy to visualizing each muscle group working for you while you run. Running is so much more than movement...you need to be strategic in your efforts - you need to see it - for ultimate results"  Her words were just what I needed to have an awesome run.  Rather than just letting my mind go adrift, I stayed focused on the movement.  Talk about empowerment! I'm learning that the best kind of strength is the one that comes from within...that's why I love my Life Coach - she always give me that extra swift kick to bring out the best in ME.

Okay, back to the topic at-hand.  My Favorite Thing Friday is a Pineapple Wedger.  I know, something so simple right?  I bought it a a Pampered Chef party...at the time I was skeptical of it really working, but I have to say it hasn't let me down yet.  I wasn't always a fan of pineapple...in fact, my love for the amazing fruit has come about within the last year.  One day a friend of mine broke out fresh pineapple and raspberries for breakfast...and I was in awe of how refreshing it tasted.  Yes, awe.  Evidently my taste buds has morphed some and pineapple all of sudden tasted like the most amazing delicacy.  So as you can imagine, the discovery of a pineapple wedger was right up my alley!  I use it practically every week as pineapple is now- for oh so many reasons - one of my absolute favorite fruits!

You gotta put a little muscle into it...

Comes out pretty much perfect each time. 
I just toss the wedger in the dishwasher when done.

Here's a quick video to show how to use it. Next time, I'll make my own :)

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

Clean Crispy Rice Treats

Could it be a clean crispy rice treat recipe?  Yes, it indeed is.  Is it the same taste as the oh so sugary, gooey, birthday party staple?  No friends...not by any stretch.  But, it is CLEAN,  just as sticky and oh so tasty!  :)

1 Tsp. Cold-Pressed Sesame Oil

1/2 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
2 Tbsp. Almond Butter (or Sesame Tahini)
2 Tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
6 Cups of a Combination of Puffed Rice, Puffed Millet, or Crispy Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Raw Sunflower or Pumpkin Seeds

1/2 Cup Currants, Chopped Dried Apples, or Dates

In a large pot, heat oil, rice syrup, and almond butter; stir until bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Spoon mixture in a 13 x 9-inch pan and press flat. Allow to sit at a room temperature until set. Then, cut into squares and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 2 dozen squares.

Mr. came home and said, "Oh, did you make homemade bird-feed?"
Hmmm, not sure how to react to that...I guess I do have a soft spot
for those stranglers who missed the memo to head south. :)

I have never purchased nor cooked with brown rice syrup...
I have to say, I think I am a fan!

You can leave the guilt behind as you bite into this!  Yum!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

Detox Details: The Eating Plan

As I write this, I am wrapping up day three of the detox program. I have definitely went through some "withdrawal symptoms" already.  Yesterday, I endured a subtle headache and today it was muscle aches. I have never experienced (or at least none that I can recall) muscle aches to the extreme that I was feeling all day.  It was such an odd feeling.  Typically, I love the feeling of sore muscles from working out...but this...this was something entirely different.  It was very uncomfortable achy muscles from head to toe.  After complaining a ton - mostly inside my head, I finally took a couple ibuprofen (which I really try not to do) and took a little 20 minute nap.  I popped up out of bed and literally shouted, "I feel like me AGAIN!" - Within in minutes, I bundled up in my outdoor gear, went outside and owned my workout.  It's so great to feel GOOD!  It wasn't until just a bit ago that I realized that the muscle aches are a symptom of the detox.  While re-reading the materials, I discovered that it was a main symptom of withdrawal (in my case, caffeine)....Ah ha, this thing is working already I thought.

The overall program is broken down into three phases, and as you can guess I am in phase one Days 1 - 6.  Throughout these six days, I have been taking a dosage of a powered supplement as well as an encapsulated supplement.  The program also requires the elimination of the following:

Please note, most of these are already eliminated from my diet due to my clean eating lifestyle...

• Refined and added simple sugars - Refined sugars refer to anything with added sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, molasses, honey, maple syrup, or alcohol.  This includes beer, wine, and liquor. 
• Artificial colorings, flavorings, and sweeteners - This includes many packaged and processed foods.
• Caffeinated beverages - This includes caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, caffeinated soda pop, and caffeinated and decaffeinated black and green teas.  Herbal teas with no caffeine are acceptable and encouraged.
• Gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, barley, spelt, karmut)  Only quinoa, oats, rice, millet, buckwheat, teff, and amaranth are acceptable grains to consume.
• Meat & seafood - Meat and seafood to eliminate are shellfish, beef, pork, cold cuts, frankfurters, sausage, etc.  Acceptable choices include: fish, chicken (organic), turkey, lamp, and wile game such as deer.
• Eggs and dairy products - This includes egg, milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, butter, etc. 

So all in all it's not that I have to endure drastic eating changes, but the ones I did have to make feel "drastic" - such as elimination of my green tea, wheat, eggs, spelt, shellfish, and honey, red wine - just to name a few, ha! 

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat

PS.  Tomorrow I am checking out a gym...ummm yeah - "I hate gyms" is the slogan I been wearing on my panties for years now. I'm just checking it out... keeping the options open!  Mr. has a membership there...so could be fun couple thing as the winter makes its way in!?!

28 Day Detox Program

Yesterday, I kicked off my 28-day detox program. My first real detox EVER.  I figured what better time to start than the first day of the month.  Oh, don't let me fool you. I mentally changed my mind 10 times about this whole start date...come on now, 28 days of detox - yikes!  That's 28 days of being perfect...no caffeine (goodbye 3+ cups a day green tea and/or occasional cup of coffee), no alcohol (youch..no red wine with girlfriends), and that's not even diving into the eating plan changes (no egg whites...wow)!  Thankfully, my husband gave me the boot to just get it over with.  Gotta love that breathe of motivation when you so madly need it. So here I am. Day one...almost two now...under my belt.  The way months fly by in my world, I know that day 28 will be here in no time and with that I am excited to welcome a whole new me...inside that is. 

Okay, now let's get scientific.  To start the detox, I had another Bio Impedance Analysis (BIA) reading done which essentially measures body composition electronically.  BIA is the clinical assessment of tissue and fluid compartments in the human body.  A normal distribution of tissue and fluid is the body is associated with immunity, high function, and longevity.  An abnormal distribute of tissue and fluid in the body is associated with susceptibility, low function, and effects of disease and aging. Our body is bio-electric and the BIA measures our vitality at a cellular level.

Here's a couple of snap shots pulled from my recent results:

The above results were taken on October 22, 2011 - note my weight was 120. 

These results on November 1, 2011 - essentially a week later -
weight jumped three pounds (pms).  My doc called it immediately (bless his soul!)
The desired results are listed in pen along the right side of the numbers. 

My key areas for improvements are:

Phase Angle: Phase angle is an indicator of cellular health and integrity. Research on humans has shown that the relationship between phase angle and cellular health is increasing and nearly linear. A low phase angle is consistent with an inability of cells to store energy and an indication of breakdown in the selective permeability of cellular membranes. Cell membranes have a high lipid content, therefore this reading gives an indication of your cell lipid status. A high phase angle is consistent with large quantities of intact, healthy cell membranes and body cell mass.  Phase angles for adults range from 3 - 10 degrees, with normal values of 6 to 8 degrees.  A phase angle of 5’ or lower can indicate a serious energy deficiency. A phase angle higher than 8' is excellent.

I am currently at a 6.7 - my desired outcome after the 28 day detox is an 8 (excellent).

Body Cell Mass (BCM): BCM contains all the metabolically active tissues (living cells) of the body, including muscle cells, organ cells, blood cells and immune cells. BCM includes the "living" portion of fat cells but not the stored fat lipids and also includes the water inside living cells called intracellular water. The main electrolyte of intracellular water is potassium.

I'm currently at a 36.6% and the goal after the 28-day detox is 40%.

Fat Mass: Fat mass is all the extractable lipids from adipose and other tissue in the body. It is the total amount of stored lipids (fats) in the body and consists of subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is located directly beneath the skin and serves as an energy reserve and as insulation against outside cold. Visceral fat is located deeper within the body and serves as an energy reserve and as a cushion between organs. Everyone needs a certain amount of fat in their body. The ideal fat % is dependent on age and gender.

My fat mass currently is 25.3% and the desired outcome after the 28-day detox is 21%.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is the number of calories consumed and metabolized at a normal resting state over a 24 hour period. For a typical person, BMR accounts for more than 90% of their total daily expenditure - more than 90% of calories are burned while the person is at rest.

The basal metabolic rate is determined by lean body mass since only lean body mass metabolizes. The greater the individual's lean body mass, the greater the rate of caloric expenditure. One of the main benefits of exercise is the maintenance of lean body mass.

Dieting alone may cause a reduction in lean body mass and can actually reduce the body's ability to burn calories. The main principle of weight management is to maintain or increase lean body mass. Since this is not always possible during weight loss, the goal is to minimize reduction of lean body mass. A typical person will experience a loss of 0.45 pounds of lean body mass and 0.55 pounds of fat mass for each pound of weight loss while dieting without exercise.

My BMR is extremely low - I'm only burning 1301 cals a day...the goal after the 28-day detox is 1800.

Intracellular Water (ICW): This is a measure of the amount of water contained within the cell. Healthy cells maintain their integrity and hold their fluid inside the cell membrane. Water is needed inside the cell to hold in water-soluble nutrients such as vitamins B and C. The optimum amount of water that should be inside the cell differs according to gender and age. As a general rule, 2/3 of your water should be inside the cell.

I'm currently at 55.9% and the desired outcome is 61%

Extracellular Water (ECW): This is a measure of the amount of water outside the cells. This water stores some nutrients and also helps to remove waste from inside the cell. As a general rule, 1/3 of your water should be outside the cell.

A low ICW reading may be due to many things including dehydration, nutritional imbalance, hormonal imbalance or toxicity.

I'm currently at 44.1% and the desired outcome is 39%.

About the 28-Day Detox
Many cultures around the world have long believe toxins accumulate in the body and can be an underlying cause of a variety of health problems.  For centuries, different therapies have been used to "cleanse" or detoxify, from simple water fasts to sometimes elaborate regimens of bowel cleansing, steams, and saunas.  Western medicine ignored or criticized these techniques for years, but has finally started to recognize detoxification as a vital body process.  Research has substantiated that an individual's ability to detoxify substances to which they are exposed varies tremendously, and the body's capacity to detoxify these substances is of critical importance to overall health.  

In our industrialized world, we produce more and more potentially toxic compounds that find their way into the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.  The body must rid itself of these dangerous substances by transforming and then excreting them through the lungs, skin, kidneys, and bowels.  Unfortunately, not all of them get excreted efficiently - some are circulated back into the bloodstream and others are stored in various body tissues such as fat tissue.  This is in part due to the increasing levels of toxins we are exposed to, and may be exacerbated by a lack of nutrients needed to fuel the detoxification process.  Over the years toxins can build up in fat, joints, the brain, and various other tissues, potentially leading to a variety of health issues.   (source: Metagenics Inc)

Bottom line: It's been proven time after time that detox not only works but is critically important to our overall health.  I'm excited to finally get on the detox train and track this journey.  I have no doubts that this will mark the first of many detoxes to come. 

Okay, wow. That's a lot of information.  I like it!  I'll dive deeper into the steps, eating plan, and my overall mood tomorrow.  No caffeine today folks, thus this girl is ready to get her sleep on!  I will tell you though, I can't believe how much this program is allowing me to experience new foods...recipes...and so much more.  Did I mention, it's only the completion of day two!


Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

13 Miles of Hiking in the U.P.

Forgive me! It's been a whole four days since my last post. I so appreciate all of you who have checked in with me to make sure all is good in Mrs. Skinny Fat's world...seriously! Love that you enjoy my words!

Over the weekend, I hightailed it to Munising, Michigan....wayyy up north (approximately 760 miles round-trip) for a quick weekend getaway. And I mean quick!  I left late Friday night - didn't arrive to Munising until after midnight and then returned home late Sunday in which I quite literally walked in my door and went straight to bed.  I have since felt like a walking zombie!  Ugh!  My hormones never play nice, and when it's "that" time, it takes a toll on me like no other.  Not only do I feel extremely exhausted, but I also feel so heavy...gaining a minimum of four pounds of water weight each and every time. Such a treat, right? So while I had full intentions of writing Monday and yesterday, my energy levels were pitiful to say the least.  Today, I am slowly starting to feel like myself. Thank goodness!  I missed me, too! 

While the trip to the U.P. was extremely short, it was well worth it!  Munising is such an awesome, majestic, destination.  I absolutely love it there and always wish for more time!  Time is something I didn't have though...we basically had one full day to try and soak in all its beauties - Lake Superior, sandy beaches, Pictured Rocks, endless hiking trails, waterfalls, etc.  Ahhh.  The scenery is better than Mexico...I promise!  Pure Michigan indeed.

To make the most of the one day, My mother-in-law and I decided to spend all of our Saturday outdoors surrounded by nature's wonders.  Our goal was to hike 15 miles. We, however, got a late start and inevitably darkness caught up to us at 13.  We were disappointed at first and then we realized how silly we were because 13 miles is still an awesome accomplishment!  My legs were burning the next day!  We had an absolute blast on the trails - Miles was in pure heaven!

We took a couple breaks to capture some moments at Sand Point Beach. So glad we did!

Me reminding Miles that he is a dog, not human. That he has four legs, not two.
These conversations are frequent with him and always equally difficult.

My MIL running along the shores of Lake Superior with Miles.

Yet another pep talk of what makes him special in doggie life.

Running is what we do best!

Senior Pictures :) Or so it felt like...

It's so pretty! I would love to run these shores every day!

Miles, much like me, loves getting dirty! 

Such a cutie! And, he absolutely loves getting his photo taken.

This makes me laugh...strong resemblance of a seal!

The evening sky was so awesome! 

All tuckered out...13 miles plus! 

Later that night we made the guys some fresh salmon loaded with veggies.  It was extremely simple and oh so delish!  What you see is what you get...salmon, baby asparagus, white onions, yellow and red peppers, red cabbage, drizzle of white wine, and seasonings. 

Mmmm! I'm crazy for colors! 

See you later tonight!  Can't wait to talk detox!! On day 2 or 28, yikes!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat