another one bites the dust...

Anyone who knows me, knows that the only time I ever consider running is when I'm running away from something. Usually a cow. Or a rabid neighbor dog. Sometimes my children. The point is, if I'm going to lose weight, my strength is going to have to come from something other than running.

Like food. 

I do food well. And usually for no other reason than I just like it. A lot.

After all the health issues that seem to be plaguing me of late, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I may have limitations on what I can eat, but I can certainly control the amount of what passes between these lips. 

And I can have a little fun while I'm doing it too.

I've had a lot of great advice ranging from doing the GAPS diet, to going low carb, vegetarian, and even vegan. What I decided to do was try a modified Paleo-ish diet. (I haven't eliminated dairy~that would leave me with absolutely nothing to eat in the morning!) I hesitate to use the word diet because that's not really what this is. This is about getting healthy. It's about finding foods that not only I can have, but my family can enjoy with me. 

 

Because nobody likes to cook 2 separate meals each night. Least of all me. 

 

And don't even get me started on cross-contamination. After "accidentally" kissing a crumb-covered baby and swelling to the size of a Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade balloon, toast has been banned from the upper level of the house. I look like a chicken with it's tail feathers on fire every time a glutenous utensil or baby gets within 6 feet of me.

It's not pretty.

But, for all the work it's been, my tail feather area is actually shrinking. So far I am down 13.5 pounds. (!!!!!) I'm singing Queen's hit "Another One Bites the Dust" every time I get on the scale.  Even better is that the inflammation that has plagued me for what has seemed like forever, is gone. I have normal thumbs again. The only time my body hurts is when a certain 3 year old pounces on me without warning. And I've only really missed bread twice. 

Before kissing the babies.

 

Finding new recipes has been a challenge. Since beef, eggs, fish, and shellfish are off-limits, my meat protein can only come from chicken and turkey. A new favorite is a chicken and grape salad wrap. 

It is what my gluten-free dreams are made of.

~Drunken Chicken Lettuce Wraps~

~The Players~

1 large chicken breast (bone-in)

olive oil for the pan

1/2 cup white wine (whatever you would drink)

1 c. red grapes, quartered

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

2 t. Dijon mustard

1/4-1/2 cup good mayonnaise 

sea salt & pepper, to taste

red leaf lettuce, washed and dried

 

Rinse the chicken breast, pat dry. Sear both sides of the chicken on a lightly oiled cast iron skillet; approximately 4 minutes each side. (I place a cast iron bacon press on the chicken while it's searing~a smaller cast iron skillet would work too.) Add 1/2 cup white wine and cover with a lid. Place in a preheated 350F. oven and bake until done; about 30 minutes. Make sure the chicken is no longer pink. Allow to cool enough to handle.

Shred cooled chicken. If you used a full-sized breast, you should have about 2-3 cups of chicken. Add grapes and onions. Stir in Dijon mustard. Add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and stir in. Continue to add mayo until you reach the desired amount of moisture. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully drop about 1/4-1/3 cup of salad on each lettuce leaf. Wrap as you would a burrito, being mindful to fold the bottom up before rolling up the side. Refrigerate any salad that you aren't going to immediately consume. Makes 8-10 wraps.

Enjoy!

The Winds of Change...

Before I share the who, what, and where, first let me tell you about the why.

*Because I'm so tired that I think about naptime before I get out of bed in the morning.

*Because my hair is falling out without any help from my children.

*Because my joints ache just thinking about going for a walk.

*Because I'm cold all the time, except for the occasional hot flashes~which I welcome.

*Because I've had some depression that goes beyond my failed attempts at making pumpkin soup.

*Because I have heart palpitations, even when my Mister is not standing in front of me.

*Because my brain is fuzzier than a politician's math skills.

*Because I've gained 20 pounds that cannot be attributed to Reeses or Starbucks. (There's another 30 that is all theirs.)

While I'm still waiting for the biopsy that is set to take place next week, all signs are pointing to hypothyroidism. Specifically an auto-immune disease known as Hashimoto's disease. I've been told that I'll probably be prescribed a synthetic thyroid hormone, with lots of follow-up blood tests to check levels.

Forever.

This does not sit well with me. First, because this feels like putting a band-aid on an arm when the boo-boo is on the leg. Second, I can't even remember to floss everyday. Third, I'm a rebel at heart.

My thyroid isn't the problem. Something in my body is causing my cells to attack my little old thyroid who has just been minding its own business. After doing a little research, it's starting to look like gluten may be a major contributor to auto-immune diseases, like Hashimoto's. I've experimented with going gluten-free before, but it hasn't lasted long because there really wasn't a need to do so.

I'm rebellious, but also a creature of habit. A creature that likes bread.

Have I mentioned that I don't like change?

So what does that look like for my family? Well, tonight we had a Baked Ziti with Meatballs, and a Pear & Pecan Salad with Cranberry Dressing. The pasta was brown rice, the meatballs were from our grass-fed beef, and the croutons were left in the pantry. (At least while I was dishing up my plate!) I will still be baking sourdough bread for my family, but I will just have to put on my big girl panties and let the scent of the bread be enough.

And because I've had my share of that same bread, big girl panties are all that I've got. (Too much info?)

I won't be replacing flour with sugar, and my latte addiction has ended. The withdrawals are another story...

And in the morning, I will drag myself out of bed, pull on my well-worn sweatpants, grab my 1 cup of organic Sumatra, and head out the door.

For a walk that may require one end of a rope tied at my waist, the other end to the bumper of a Ford truck, and my Mister behind the wheel.

One way or another, it's time for a change.