Autoimmune and Business!

Here are two pictures I have used for Facebook!

Red Dog Studio & Design!  Courtesy of Stryker Doo!!

Red Dog Fitness!  Again Stryker giving me his best!

So pop over to Facebook and if you are with 20 to 30 of Farmington Hills and are looking for a custom bridal gown or fitness for the big even, let me know!  I am so excited to get started!!  I have been teaching for over 5 years and designing for over 10 years.  My Facebook pages are a work in progress since I am still working full time.  It can be difficult to get everything in everyday.  

On to the autoimmune protocol.....  I got rid of just about everything over a month ago.  I added coffee back, but decaf!  That actually went really well and I saw no ill effects bringing it back.  About a week later I added almond butter, and again I have noticed no difference.  Today, I added back in eggs.  This morning was soft boiled eggs, lunch was crab cakes (crab and egg only no grain!), dinner was two ingredient pancakes with almond butter.  Of course, I had other things added to it too.  I have been following The Paleo Mom for all my autoimmune advice and I cannot wait for her book to come out.  Go to her site and the podcast The Paleo View on iTunes, she has so much wonderful information!!  If you have any condition, maybe food is the issue and what would it hurt to dive further into it.  

My face did clear up for the most part, and hasn't changed since I added food back in.  I am grateful for that!!  I have to credit that to Primal Life Organics, hopefully soon I can post a picture of perfect skin!  That would be wonderful!  

On another paleo note I stumbled on a great blog Katie Did.  She has a recipe for "Oatmeal" that I need to try, looks so wonderful.  Not to mention the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies - YUM!!  I will definitely post up when I make both of those!!

Have you ever done a food trial?  Did it make any difference?

Business Beginnings - Red Dog Studio & Design

Ok, first off - I think every start should begin with a cute puppy picture!  Hence - Stryker Doo!!  You would have thought he spent some time being very active, but don't bet on that!

Next, a picture of what we ate!  This was my "breakfast" after being at a very easy not even 5k this morning with my co-worker Amy.  She is so fun to be with and she is getting married next month.  Joy!!  We were at the Walk & Wag and Run at Rolling Hills Park in Ypsilanti benefiting The Humane Society of Huron Valley.  The raised a lot of money and I got a cool swag bag filled with puppy stuff!!

I got up around 6 and had a cup of decaf, a slice of turkey bacon and a banana.  Just a little something to hold me over till this deliciousness that I had when I got back around 10:30.  A grass-fed burger and nitrate local bacon (hidden under veggies), broccoli, cauliflower and green beans.  I also added a little bit of fig butter.  I am trying to get through that so I can open the blueberry chutney I bought in D.C!  Oh and see Stryker eyeing my food in the background - Typical!!

I just made my facebook page for Red Dog Studio & Design and Red Dog Fitness.  I figured on FB it would be better  to combine them, at least for now.  I have to populate it with tons of great info and pictures.  It's a work in progress, but my hope is to be "full time" office (not in my home) free by August/September.  

In addition to starting these two branches of business and working as a run coach at Life Time Fitness in Commerce I will begin working with FitnessRx teaching classes.  So far I have 7 classes I am teaching - Livonia and Huntington Woods for now, until I add more.  Any interest in these classes or training through Red Dog just click on over!

Recap of DC!

Gaylord Convention Center!  I must say this was a beautiful place to be

Here was the view from the ferry we took to go to Alexandria.  Isn't that the coolest sculpture coming out of the sand!

The storm was coming and we weren't even there yet!  Luckily the rain was light!

A few views of the main drag.

This was my first breakfast.... which I previously commented on.  Hmmpf!

This was the sunset on the second day at National Harbor, so beautiful.

The last night there we went to Bond 45 where I had the best filet mignon, it melted in your mouth like butter.  Look at the size of that asparagus spear, despite it being cut up!

The last breakfast there in the hotel room, much more affordable then what I had the first day.

Over all, it really was a great trip!  Though I am glad I am home.  Not much for words on this trip, but these really were the highlights!  I spent my days in the exhibit hall and talked to potential customers for 9 hours each day.

DC Time! That's how much?!

This week I am in DC for a conference!  Staying here at the Gaylord Convention Center.

The room is very comfortable and has everything that is needed!

Here was my breakfast this morning.  Very paleo, once I added my canned salmon and a banana.  Of course, this is room service so it was Pricey!!  $32 for a pot of tea and bacon.... Whoa! LOL!!

I will be posting more of this trip later.  What is the most you ever paid for room service and received so little?

Autoimmune - Starting Over.... Again

 Yesterday was the Martian Marathon - I didn't run the full, only the half.  I know - people always laugh because I say I only ran a half.... and it was cold!!  The temp was 40-ish before the wind chill!  I almost thought I over dressed the first 6 miles, but then the temp dropped and the sleet began.  At least it was only temporary!  Lasted maybe a half mile...  The best thing was despite the cold (which I hate running in) and my knee giving me a twinge of pain, I got another PR!  13.1 in 1:45:20.  I think I could have gone on, hahahaha!!

I thought I would add a random image of Penny and Stryker.

Stryker in his typical look of why are you not giving me food right now? and no extra attention?  What gives??

This morning I am going to prepare to follow the Autoimmune Profile.  I had tried two weeks ago, but found to eliminate everything at one time was far too stressful for me.  There are two things that happened this week that are pushing me to try it again.  On Monday, I went to dinner with my dad and sister, on Tuesday I was sick and sick all week.  Why was that?  I had a tomato based sauce - now it was very tasty and had leftovers on Tuesday.  I still feel a little sick today! BLARGH!  On Friday I went to see an endocrinologist and my preliminary blood work is pointing to Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - an autoimmune condition, this link goes to Rob Wolf's site which explains more.  I had additional blood work that I hope to hear back on early this week.  But, it makes sense - I have days where I am extremely tired for no reason and can't seem to recover.

After breakfast, preparing lunches for the week, a small amount of grocery shopping, it was kitchen yoga with the Boo!

The pups had to watch from the other side of the gate in the living room.  Otherwise I think I would have been pushed over and distracted more so than when it is just Boo Kitty.

So, my refrigerator is packed again for another week.  Almond milk is off the list, but there is coconut milk around.  I am not going eliminate everything all at once, it will be gradual.  Eggs are off for sure and coffee, other things will slowly go away and will give it a good month.  I will follow the advice from The Paleo Mom when adding back in foods.  There are a few things below that I really like right now.  Coconut Oil from Trader Joe's, I use it on everything.

Plantains and bananas - a good carb and the bananas are great for making soft serve!

I will try to post more of my trials and I am going to try and make a new dessert to enjoy that doesn't have almond flour, almond butter, eggs or chocolate.  I know it will be tough, but after what I went through this week and how horrible I have felt, how can I not?!

Sunday and it happens to be Easter

I think that I am too stressed with doing a full autoimmune profile, which I have been told that if it stresses you it is pointless to do.  I may abandon it today.  The nightshades and spices don't really concern me so much, since I have already taken those out.  The nuts, eggs and chocolate are the biggest stresses! Followed by coffee, I can easily switch to decaf and even the Dandy Blend I have been having is a fine substitution.

Here is Friday's recap!

5am wake up, followed by a pretty good Power Kitchen Yoga with the Boo.  Then breakfast:

Dandy Blend is really tasty, sounds weird but I first heard about it from Carrots'N'Cake.  That was the best part of the day!  Friday dragged and I was super tired, a few occasional bouts with a headache but would quickly pass.  I spent me lunch our at the grocery store but had enough time to get a 10 minute nap before heading back into work.  I was hungry, tired but not crabby.  But, the whole time I felt that I was so restricted by what I couldn't eat it drove me a bit crazy!

Saturday I got up and had a pretty similar breakfast to Friday - Dandy blend with vanilla coconut milk, Italian sausage link, and greens/veggie mix in coconut oil.  Next I headed to the gym for an appointment for a Run Lead position at my gym - fingers crossed.  After I had less than an hour to workout.  30 minutes in the elliptical and a quick 20 all over weight workout.  Legs, back, chest and abs - with a few mountain climbers and squat jumps in between.  I got home in time to quickly get ready.  D and I had to go to his Aunt Betty's 90th birthday party.  It was a nice time, but there was nothing there I could eat except some lettuce - and the dessert table looked so good.  I more wanted actually food and could easily skip the dessert.  Two hours later and a very cranky me - we left.  D asked what I wanted - Jimmy Johns sounded pretty good!  I got the Country Club in a lettuce wrap, without mayo, tomato and added avocado spread and cucumber.  It turns out it's not many calories - 140 so this was more like a snack! It still hit the spot!

We went to Somerset Mall to return some items and find some work shirts for D.  Wouldn't you know it, we found them in the last store we went to!  We got home after a couple hours, let the pups out and headed to dinner - Noodles & Co.  Chinese Chopped salad minus red peppers, fried wontons and dressing and adding broccoli and pulled pork - tasty!!

Easter Sunday

Today wasn't anything special - got up and made breakfast and seriously considering abandoning the autoimmune protocol for now.  As Charissa from Balanced Bites stated, if it causes too much stress then don't do it cause the stress will over ride any healthy change you are trying to make.  I think there are some tweaks I can definitely do, like nightshades.  Per Sarah, from The Paleo Mom - try cutting out nightshades first - the most important thing is to adopt a paleo lifestyle for at least 5 to 7 months and then make changes as needed.  Great Point!!  I love my eggs and almond butter too much right now to take them out.

SO, after the gym I went to Plum Market and got my whole Rotisserie chicken.  I typically will eat the drumsticks and wings for lunch and cut up the rest to lunches during the week.  I prepped the rest of the veggies and cleaned house.

D got home from his ride - I think he said he did 50-ish miles today.  He was starving when he got home so I made him gluten free pancakes with White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co and bacon.  I tried a pancake that didn't turn out real great.  It was 2 egg yolks (since whites can be problematic...) a banana and coconut milk and Trader Joe's Sunflower nut butter.  I also topped it with some too!  It was good, but not quite what I was looking for, but I wasn't very hungry, the chicken from lunch really filled me up!  I also drank some Strawberry Serenity Kombucha - love that stuff and hadn't had any all week!

Have some new products I am trying out and will talk about those sometime this week!  As I type here is my usual view!  Puppies to my right!

Boodles to my left - and close!

Autoimmune Paleo Profile! Day 1 tomorrow

OK, so I think I am a bit lazy at times..... or just really busy at night trying to get things done!  Maybe a little of both!  I am going to follow a strict paleo autoimmune profile for the next two weeks to fix my "leaky gut" and repair my adrenals and thyroid.  My two weeks will end with a visit to the specialist, so my fingers are crossed that my blood work will come back good!

Oh, and the Martian Half Marathon is the day after!!  So, I am hoping that I will be feeling really well for that!  Lots of energy!!  Of course, my knee is still bothering me.  Next week I am going to start rehab, cause this is ridiculous.  I want to be injury free before training starts for Detroit's marathon in July.

So first, I should probably recap the week!  This week was Passover so Monday and Tuesday night was spent with the family!!

My dad busy in the kitchen, prepping food.

Every year he makes gefilte fish - so good!! 

My sister made Salmon cakes and veggie puffs... there were other foods as well!

My dinner plate!  A little of everything! Brisket with carrots, chicken, brussel sprouts, haroset, broccoli, veggie puff, sweet potatoes, gefilte fish - Yum!!

Silly time!!

My dad's favorite thing to do!  Being with his grand kids!

Tuesday dinner was at Knollwood Country Club - they did a nice and fast Seder

It was a very fun night!

Tonight is my last night for eggs and nut butters for a few weeks, so I made 2 ingredient paleo pancakes with sunflower nut butter and bacon!  The "pancake" is 4 ounces sweet potato and 2 whole eggs.

Tomorrow - No caffeine, eggs, nuts and nut butters, nightshades and certain spices.  I haven't decided what I am going to add first after 2 weeks - eggs or nut butter, decisions decisions!  Not sure which I will miss more - or even the caffeine!!  I love my morning coffee and will be switching to decaf teas.  It's something!

This time I am hoping to post everyday, since I think this will be much more difficult than the sugar detox was.