0 Come Along with Meee to an Epic Journeeeyyyy - Week 2

This post came a little late as I have been trying to put it together all while researching different juicing recipes.

#Struggle

I have struggled with my weight for so long. I have went to doctor's, done the fad diets, the diet pills.  All the tips and tricks that anyone could possibly pull out of their pockets.
Nothing worked. It's because I wasn't really dealing with the issue.

I love food. I don't necessarily consider myself an addict. I just appreciate good food. Many of doctor diets and fad diets restrict your intake and make you count calories or points. You start doing well eating good foods. Then..you want something sweet. You check your daily tracker.  I still have 750 calories left!  I can do a candy bar. I can do chips..I can do a soda..   You then do the trickle effect where you start justifying EVERYTHING.  Take it from me folks. I was one of them.

So yeah, I can count calories and I can count points ..so what if I have a few candy bars..I am under my caloric intake for the day!!

See where I am going with this?

For some people, it works well and they have the whole calorie counting down (I have nothing against those that try and do) I just know they don't work for ME.

When I met with my personal trainer and the nutritionist at LFA, they made it simple.  Focus on putting good foods in and you really won't have to count calories.  AT first I was scared to do this. I even felt I was eating TOO MUCH. I was surprised that I was told I was possibly not eating enough. Making these changes, I feel better. I am not as tired at the end of the day. And I can tell in some small ways that I am physically changing.  I am eating were greens, tons of them! Spinach and arugula.  I am making more conscientious effort to make healthy lunches and dinners.  I listened to my trainer's advice

started upping the amount of protien I would have.  Good fats like avocados and cocounut oil are my fave to add to smoothies.  WHAT I am eating is food that isn't processed (for the most part).  Now mind you, Rome wasn't built in a day..nor was my pantry or my eating habits.  I am integrated organic and raw where I can (coconut sugar and raw honey instead of refined sugars - lower on the glycemic index).  I tend to indulge now and then. I ate sushi with friends of mine on Saturday.  I just changed what I ate throughout the day is all.  I had a smoothie for lunch which wasn't heavy, its good for you and held me over until our late dinner.

#Juicing

After watching a documentary called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (watch it on Netflix - great documentary).  It puts juicing in a new perspective.  After seeing how many fruits and veggies go into a serving of juice, I know I could never eat that many vegetables in a day.  In the documentary you meet Joe Cross and another gentleman who implement a juice fast into their lives and eventually they turn their lives around.  Mind you these changes did not happen overnight, nor did they sit around being couch potato. They took action, exercising a little each week and building up to an active lifestyle.

When I first heard about a friend of mine that wanted to juice,
I had my own apprehensions as it sounds like another fad diet.  In fact there are tons of them out there that sell an overpriced, over processed juice that you drink for 3 days and thats it! "You melt the pounds away." But when I watched said friend do his fast day to day and his transformation, it inspires you.  This was juice made at home, not crap from the store.  Using organic greens, fruits and vegetables to make into yummy health "potions".  (heh see what I did there?)

I am still reading, reasearching and learning more about juicing but I feel I have learned enough (and have a good 'mentor') to be able to complete my own juice fast. It's going to be a feat but I won't know if I don't at least try.  I am only doing 5 days.  When I sit and think about it now..Right now it feels like I am staring at Mount Hyjal (Wow Reference).  It's a mental barrier I have to get past. The mental barrier of chewing food.

Mount Hyjal - World of Warcraft

#juicefast

I have not been very 'public' on the fasting thing. I told a couple of people. Some were very supportive. Others- not so much. I would get the scrunched up look of scrutiny that just says "yeah right!".  I decided that I will note it here and hope that people can convey positivity. I think I can handle 5 days not chewing. One juice has so many fruits and veggies in it, it's really quite filling.

The way I view juicing, its a way to implement those soo good for you veggies but they taste way to weird to eat on their own.  the veggie I have in mind? Kale.  It's a luscious, green, leafy plant that has tons of nutrients.  It just tastes bitter to me. I tried to eat it by itself ewwwwwwwww.
But blend it with other vegetables and fruits and you don't even know its there (other than that pretty green color).

If you don't get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet daily, then having a serving of fresh juice can help you do that.  Even if it's just one glass a day. Hey it beats carrying tons of containers with me to work and eating on vegetables and fruits non stop.  I'm not saying stop eating veggies, drink them always.  It's just added benefit if you do drink a juice daily.

Why a juice fast?
I'm sure the blog gave it away...Yeah I am sure I will lose some weight. I am changing my food intake for a week! I have wanted to try a fast ever since seeing the documentary.  I finally got over the hurdles (mentally) and feel I have the mentality to complete 5 days.  A cleanse, detox, clearing the chute, releasing negative 'vibes' whatever you want to call it. I just want to get the "taste" of processed foods out of my system and retrain the taste buds to want better things.  Although, I don't like saying cleanse because when I say that, people automatically should out some Hollywood doctor's diet. Nooooo.  I want to find out for myself if the results are true. Whats the worst thing that will happen...turn into a plant?!

I will start my 5 day journey on Saturday Feb 1 through Wednesday, Feb 5.  I am excited and nervous. This is the biggest thing I have tried to do for my health benefit. It is the biggest challenge to my willpower.

I will post my favorite juice recipes on next weeks blog!

Give a share, like, comment, constructive criticism or all of the above!  More feedback, more I want to continue!

2 Week 1 - Level 1

Nerd herd!
Oh I have missed you!  Let me say this has been a great week.  They probably won't all be that way but I will have to push through them.  So, Saturday (Jan 18th) was my first training session. I was nervous all week only because I didn't know what to expect.  I showed up at 10 am ready to go but without dread (which is odd for me!). He taught me importance of warming up the muscles before you actually stretch.  I always thought stretching was warming them up but I thought wrong.  I was shown isometric exercises that I could do in my home.  For example, one of my exercises required me to act like I was grabbing an orange and clenching as tight as I could.  While tensing these muscles, I would lift my arms alternatively while focusing on breathing.  Doesn't sound like much but after tensing several groups of muscles, you begin to feel them burn.

I even got to do a little bit of boxing. I felt kinda cool. I won't lie..

Cammy from Street Fighter

My "homework" for the week was to walk and keep a food journal.  That's it.  Well that's it so I thought.

I did great on my first week according to my trainer.  He suggested that I incorporate more healthy fats (ie avocados), increase my greens intake and watch the milk.  I eventually want to incorporate raw dairy but I have set a goal to purchase organic milk or just use my almond milk.
I will list a few days as examples for you!

Monday
I made sure to pack different tastes in my lunch (Sweet, salty etc)

Breakfast:

• Medium orange, 1 cup hot black tea with 1 tsp honey and a slice from my orange

Lunch:  

• Turkey and Mozzarella (organic) on Ezekiel bread (sprouted bread).

Snack: 

• Chai tea (with milk, honey) and a handful of almonds

Dinner:

•  Baked chicken breast (3 oz) (spicing with paprikia, pepper and pinch of salt)
•  1 cup quinoa with broccoli and onion sauteed.
•  2 fresh dates for something sweet.

Wednesday
Let me preface this with.... FOOD TRUCKS ARE AWESOME...when you're not watching what you're eating.  *sigh*  anyway my favorite food truck came to work..the chicken and waffle one. omg..the smells. People bringing in their fried, sweet Sriracha chicken..*drool*
But I made it. I just went and ate MY food when I started getting hangry. Yes. Hangry. Hungry + Angry. It's real folks. Nothing will put the fear in you facing a hangry female that smells fried chicken. *Shivers*
Onto the foodz!

Breakfast:

• Smoothie (Pineapple (fresh not canned), Organic Strawberries, banana, spinach (YES! I didn't taste it at all), 1/2 c coconut water.  (All fruits I bought frozen at Trader Joe's)

Lunch: 

• 3oz leftover Tandoori chicken (I made it myself..recipe to follow)
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• Spinach and Arugula Salad with cucumbers, carrots and my honey lime dressing (2tsp honey + juice    from one lime - DE-LISH)
• 1 cup black tea, 1 tsp honey  

Dinner

• Sprouted toast x 1
• Scrambled eggs (2) cooked in coconut oil
• 1 cup quinoa with broccoli and black beans

Now, we can't have our greatest of days and not have some fails too right?

Saturday
I did my workout. I got home and immediately left again so the hubby and I could run errands.  He and his mother wanted Taco Bell. While he is on board with me losing the lbs, he still wants his fast food.  It's ok, it strengthens my will power.  I did well. I didn't even bite when he offered.  I did snap at him "NO!!" all dramatic like haha.  But we ran around a bunch of places. Hit the store - got a few things for his mother she needed. Got home and I was starved.  I ate well when I got home (eggs and a piece of toast and an orange). It was that night though.. I went out with friends and it was somewhat last minute but I love impromptu friend time!  I just failed to eat something at home and then we went to Chili's.  I did not eat a whole entree. I split an appetizer with a friend. While it's not as bad as it could have been. I can't justify it.  But I can't dwell either.  So we move on and its one in the books.
I just have to do better at my meal planning for the week and for the day.  If I had been eating like I was supposed to, I -probably- would have been ok.

Pusheen the Cat (www.pusheen.com)

Coins (Budgeting)

My "favorite" topic. How do I budget for life, bills and my good foods?
So the beginning of the month is tight just because we have to manage alot of our bills and sometimes that eats into our food budget.  Well this being the beginning of the week, we've already bought what we could afford for this week so I have to make it last.  I decided I needed to plan for the week to help me stick to cooking for dinner and lunches but also keep me from eating badly.
I took a pen and my notebook and set out to the kitchen to scour my cabinets and refrigerator with the items I DID have. I created a weeks worth of good meals for dinner and lunch on what I had without having to go to the store.

Hearts (Recipes)  

Rummaging for food to put things together really required me to get creative.  I had to search out for new recipes but that was fun.  I was able to find simple ones that wouldn't take tons of prep and easy to cook.

My favorite find was the hummus recipe!!
I had to add a small amount of water to loosen it up because it was really thick. I thought it was a little bit salty so I would probably cut that down.  Tahini (seasame see paste) is located is most international grocers. I did not have any of it around so I used a tablespoon of almond butter. It seemed to mellow the tartness of the lemon juice. Anyway, its super good with veggies.  It's inexpensive and tasty *thumbs up*.

My next favorite is the Tandoori Chicken recipe I found on All Recipes. I did not have the ginger but it didn't ruin the dish.  I don't have a grill but I just cooked these in a pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil (yum) and it was great!  I know its not "real" Tandoori chicken but the flavors of the spices go well together.

ACHIEVEMENTS!!!! 

And last but not least (hopefully you've hung on through this), I said I was going to start a small list of achievements for myself to work on.  And here are just a few. I will add to this list (especially as I knock them out) and hey if you know of something creative to add (within reason), comment below!
 Complete 5 days of isometric excercises every morning before work.

1. Complete the Xbox Fitness Achievement "That was my Everest":  
2. Jumped, climbed and squatted the height of Mt. Everest (8,848m).
3. Lose my first 10 pounds since January 10th.  
4. No soda for 1 month.
5. Buy a juicer!
6. Complete a 3 day juice fast
7. Complete a 5 day juice fast.
8. Earn 25 Starts on Xbox Fitness: The workout stars are awarded based on your cumulative fitness points (FP) for the session. To acquire this achievement, you simply need to have 25 workout stars. It's like leveling up when you do a workout.

Well that's all for now..Thanks for coming along Player 2.  Hope to have some interesting things to write about in the next week! If not..well..sorry I guess.  ha! Have a great week everyone!

1 Fitness Level - Noob, New Years Resolution-ers, Foodz and Gamez.

Greetings Nerd Herd!
So, you're probably wonder why I have restarted the blog (those few but I'm-grateful-for-you-all peeps). New blog..fresh, new, and sparkly.  I did it because I am embarking on an epic quest.  A quest of better health...a new lifestyle.  Oh how the timing fell at the beginning of the year with the New Years Resolution-ers...yeah.  I HATE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.   Please understand that this is not a month long process and then quitting.  This is something that I have struggled with all my life.

I am doing this for change..not for diet. I am doing this for a new lifestyle..not for a few pounds. It's like playing a video game.  Like old school Mario for instance.  You try and try and each level..a new obstacle. Each level you face the same ol' boss.  When you think you've defeated him and won the princess...BAM!!!! Just kidding!!! Your princess is in another castle...(Srsly..how many castles do you have in Mushroom Kingdom..just sayin').  Anyway, my point is I have created obstacles and I have gotten past them to face my own epic boss...weight loss.  At some point, I get to the point to where I've been to so many "castles" I get tired of searching. Searching for that right path to take to down the boss and get epic lootz.  So, this time.. I am telling myself to...

Starting over. New game. 5 "mans" left.
I am taking a new route in my epic journey.  It is inspired by my great friend Zach B. who took matters in his own hands. He has worked very hard and has lost over 100 lbs by doing it right, watching his foods, exercise and changing his lifestyle.  (Check out his blog I Once Was Fat But Now I See ).

As I said I am going a new route with this. I am slowly integrating holistic foods (organics, ancient grains, grass-fed, etc) in my everyday nom-sessions and hiring a personal training to get more guidance with my work outs.  I have no idea what I am doing in there half the time.  To me - it's worth every penny I can put toward it.  So..please do not view this as a New Years resolution.  Allow me to introduce you to me - the fluffy nerd - destined to be more and to live more than "5 mans".

I am Jayme. I am Girlygamernerd. I am going to do this.  I need your support, your advice and hell.. I need your recipes because I love me some foods! If you take the time to read and you noticed I haven't blogged...you tell me about it! My plan is to blog at least once a week (week end review I suppose).

I used to be an adventurer, but then I took an arrow to the knee...

Ok. Ok. Not really. I have always been overweight though. I never let it get me down too much.  I usually was the quiet one. Kept to myself. At least until high school and I opened up and became a little more of me. I won't go into a long boring story of my childhood.  But I will tell you of an awesome Christmas morning in 198...*cough* year.  It was a good ol' year.  The year I got my Nintendo *insert dream sequence here*.  I have played video games ever since.  I didn't opt out of hanging with friends or going outside though. Nope..I loved doing all of that. Riding bikes hours everyday and then running inside to cool off and play a few games and then back out we went!  But it is one hobby that has stuck with me. Part of it is the love of creation of games and stories.  So when I grew up.. it grew up with me. So, I decided that the best "theme" if you will of this blog would be to tailor it around gaming.  

This pic describes it all for me and that's how I am going to approach it.  I have already started my own achievement list.  As I begin working toward these goals or achieve them, I will make sure to share! Once I make the full list I will eventually post and of course add to it as I go along.  

 I even bought an Xbox One a few weeks ago.  I just found where they have free access of Xbox Fitness where it has tons of videos from different tv personality trainers to get you moving and looking like a beached whale all in your own living room!!  No..but seriously, I will do a review on it the more I use it. The first time I braved the 10 minute work out I felt ridiculous but I felt good...like I did something! Yay for something!!

Coming soon, I plan to list some achievements as I come up with them, discuss food (ALL THE FOODZ!!!), gym days, and even post my bad days.  I hope with this blog, I can inspire someone as my friend inspired me.  This keeps me working..this keeps me accountable.  I will not be a resolution-er.  I will be fit.

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