Motivation

When it comes to being motivated, there are two types of people in the world: those that are self-motivated and those that need a coach.
You have to know which one you are before any sort of growth can occur.

It has taken me a full year to put my finger on why I was able to drop 55 pounds when I first started ... why I was able to get healthy, stay on track, make changes, and GET PREGNANT naturally. And now, knowing everything I know, I am back at my biggest and most miserable. I want so badly to go back to the way things were. I have promised myself that I'd get back on track only to fail time and time again. I was so confused as to why I was able to do it once before and am now failing.

This past week, I finally figured out what was missing ... MY COACH!!!!!
Let's be honest: I am weak. I have NO willpower and self control.
Okay, okay ... so that's being a little harsh on myself.
I am the type of person who needs consequences. Given the right motivation, the right chastisement at the right time, I can stay on track with minimal supervision. But getting to that point takes a long time. When I first started this journey, I had my husband with me as I received the news that I would have a life long struggle with PCOS and what exactly that meant for me. That day, we walked out of the office and the first thing my husband told me was that he would be there with me the whole way. We went out and gorged on everything we wanted, and then, when the meal was done, all of that indulgence was over. With his help, I did research and we studied together. We worked together to learn about food and what to buy and cook so I had exactly what I needed to be healthy. Together, we got my PCOS under control.

When the baby was born, everything changed. My coach and I both changed focus onto our little boy. We became overly concentrated on all of the little things he needed. My research turned to child development and nutrition. With all of the conflicting studies out there, it takes time to siphon through the bunk to get to the information we needed for him.

We became so focused on our son that we forgot about me. I was prepared to make the sacrifice as this is our first child. But when I was ready to go back to myself, my coach, however, stayed focused on our son.

This week, realizing that I couldn't do this alone, I told him that I needed my A**Hole back. I needed the jerk I used to have to remind me that I didn't need to eat (insert junk food here), or that we should eat at restaurant A because they have that meal I can eat. I needed the shaming. I know this sounds contrary to a healthy relationship, but you have to know what works for you. For us, his little jabs are from a place of love, not because he wants me to be a size 6 ... but because he knows how much better I feel when I am healthy, and how confident I become when I am eating what I need vs. what I want. T

I certainly got my jerk back in the past few days, and for the first time since our son has been born, I really am 100% convinced that I will be successful.

The journey continues, and now, I recognize that I am not alone in this. With my coach and God on my side, I will be victorious.

PCOS ... one year after the baby!

Hello PCOS'ers! 

How is it going you might ask? Very well! 

I saw the image posted on the right originally shared by PCOSDiva. I am inspired on a whole new level. 

It is strange how a simple motivational quote can change your whole perspective. I have been spending this week treating myself as a person who has already conquered this illness. 

I am not the chubby girl looking to get her will power back (like the woman I really am) ... in my mind, I've been thinking of myself as the woman I was before I became pregnant ... the confident, in control, vibrant Diva I was for so brief a time. 

Children change everything, that is true. But it isn't that it's hopeless, I have to adjust my thinking and routine to be both a caring, attentive mother and a woman in charge of her condition! It is hard work, but I can DO IT!!! Work full time, and instill Godly values into my family, educate my son, cook, clean, and BE A DIVA!! 

SUPERWOMAN!!!! (Couldn't do it without God and my superman beside me).

Motherhood and PCOS

Becoming a new mother and PCOS management has been difficult to say the least.

I find myself close to my biggest weight once again and needing a change.
When I started this journey I weighed 210 lbs. Now, starting over, I am once again creeping close to the 200lb mark. WHY you may ask?
Simply put, I forgot one of the first lesons to success in this journey ... to put yourself FIRST, not last. You can't take care of others if you are unhealthy. This is something that after Evan arrived, I forgot. It is easy to forget with a little one around that requires your constant supervision, attention, and love. Babies need you for everything, from poopy diapers to feedings, to simply rocking them to sleep. No one has shown me that level of attention since I was a baby myself.
In addition to my son, I made my second pirority my husband and nurturing our relationship through this change in our life, making sure that his needs don't fall to the wayside. We are still madly in love and I am overjoyed to have my best friend there to help raise our son. <3
My third priorty has been to keep the house clean, something that if it falls to the side would be a nightmare quite quickly.
I think somewhere along the way, I was not just last, I was not on the list at all. When I have thought of myself, it was being able to step away to wash my hair or do my makeup ... perhaps eat a meal when the baby was asleep. The problem was, what I was eating when I was "grabbing a meal".
At first when Evan was new, my father came over for at least two weeks and prepared all of my meals for me. I greatly appreciated his help, his selflessness, and abundant love. However, the food he prepared was not even close to the kind of food required by my condition, and boy was I spoiled. Even now, I think those two weeks inhibited my breast-milk production, however, I could have turned it all around on that third week, but didn't.
Now it's time for a change once again!!!!
This past week, I have been waking up to a freshly prepared protein smoothie filled with green leafy goodness and berries, and a scoop of protein powder of course. I was so tired, I could barely get up in the morning, and after just one week, I have more energy than I know what to do with. It is amazing how when I put myself FIRST instead of LAST I am able to focus more clearly on everything else on my list and be a better mother, wife, and daughter. I can't believe I forgot that. How easy it is to slip. My journey starts once again, almost from the beginning it seems. But this time, I go into it with all of the knowledge it took years to acquire.

PCOS Recipe: Turkey, Quinoa, and Zucchini meatballs.

Italian Turkey, Quinoa & Zucchini Meatballs (Adapted from Cookin' Canuck)

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 medium onion, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup minced zucchini
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 tsp dried chile flakes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 jars tomato sauce (your favorite kind)
• Whole Grain pita pockets
• 8 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil.
2. In a bowl, combine ground turkey, cooked quinoa, finely minced onion, garlic, minced zucchini, parsley, dried chile flakes, soy sauce, oregano, ground pepper and egg.
3. Mix well to combine. Form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
4. Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
5. While the meatballs are cooking, heat the tomato sauce in a large saucepan set over medium heat (add spinach to the pan while heating for a twist).
6. Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce and gently stir to coat the meatballs.
7. Spoon the meatballs and sauce into a bowl, serve alongside the pita pockets and Parmesan cheese. (or be really good and roll them in lettuce leaves.)

WHY IS THIS SO GOOD?

Well, for us with PCOS this recipe is to die for! For one thing, turkey is extremely high in protein and very low in fat and cholesterol. Not only that, quinoa is a whole grain found in South America (available in the health food section) and has the lowest glycemic index of any other grain and it also has the highest in protein count of any other grain. This combination equals an energy packed meal that is low in our worst enemies: CARBS! The pitas are carbs, but whole grains and thin bread along with healthy meatballs packed with veggies is a PCOSgal's treat without cheating. 

Why does good food have to taste bad? IT DOESN'T!!!!!!! 

Yummy good food, that's what it is all about.

PCOS and Breastfeeding

So, a few weeks ago, I gave birth to my son Evan! He has been such a blessing in our lives and I can't believe that something as simple as a diet change could make his existence possible.

For those of us PCOSgals, we would like to think that becoming pregnant and reaching the end with a happy healthy baby would signal the end of our struggle. Unfortunately, as I found out, the struggle is far from over.
Many women with PCOS struggle with breastfeeding as I have these past few weeks, and let me tell you, not only is it discouraging to have this issue, I can't help but feel like a failure. These are emotions that I would prefer not to have as I am trying to bond with my new little one and create a loving environment for our family.

Refusing to simply throw in the towel, I decided to do some research. Before I delivered my son, I read a breastfeeding book by Ina May Gaskin. The book was helpful with common breastfeeding issues, but it failed to touch on the issues I now face with my PCOS. Looking back, I should have known that a bodily function controlled by hormones could be disrupted by my hormone imbalance. DUH!
It is something I wish I would have been prepared for before my son arrived!

I breast fed exclusively for four days until my son's cries of hunger had me at my breaking point. I had my mother hold him while I went into the kitchen and prepared him his first bottle of formula ... tears streamed down my face, feeling defeated and inadequate. I cried while I fed my son, wondering what was wrong with me that I couldn't do it myself as my mother, in turn, held me while I cried.
I have to say, that my husband was my biggest source of comfort during the next few days. When he came home that night from work I held my head low as I told him that I had made Evan a bottle of formula fearing the worst. I thought he would be disappointed with me ... but just the opposite, he smiled and hugged me, wiped the tears away and told me that everything would be okay. He let me know that I was a good mother, that I wasn't selfish by letting him cry or simply throwing in the towel by never trying in the first place. I gave him what he needed, and because of that I was a great mother.

Still, even with my husband's words of encouragement, I still feel a little down about the situation. I refuse to give up and have switched from feeding at the breast to only pumping. This way, I know exactly how much milk I am making and I pump after every feeding as Evan snoozes.

There are several reasons why us PCOSgals may have problems breastfeeding and the best information on the subject is here at this site.

Evan is now on a 30/70 diet of breast milk vs. formula and I still hope that my supply will increase as I do everything from routinely pumping to maintaining my diet to do just that. Every drop is good for him and I won't stop trying until I can't get anymore drops. I am still researching supplements and prescriptions that my assist in increasing production, and that may be an option for me in the following weeks.

For now, I am trying to hold my head high and be a Diva! No matter how this situation turns out, I am a good mother, I have a healthy son, and I praise God for these blessings and many more.

BABY PROGRESS!

I'm in my third trimester now with only about 7 weeks left to go and things are going great!

How has PCOS been a challenge with my pregnancy?
Well .... I haven't noticed much of a difference at all.

I chose a natural approach to pregnancy and childbirth with the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth.

Why natural childbirth? Well, because since I've begun this journey, I've found that it's the natural way in almost every case that has been successful in my life. I was on drugs for years that did absolutely NOTHING for me and my PCOS. So why should I think that for my pregnancy and delivery? Oh yes, I'll take the drugs and not worry about anything until the doctors tell me to. That's a recipe for disaster.

I came across the Bradley Method while doing research about how my diet should be altered during pregnancy. The Bradley Method recommends the Brewer diet which was strikingly similar to the diet that I was already on. I immediately purchased "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Bradley and read it cover to cover ... then made my husband read it as well.  :) ... After that, we signed up for a 12 week Bradley Course with a local teacher!

From there, I was convinced, this was definitely my path. ... Everyone I had spoken to about labor had HORRIBLE things to say, even though they had an epidural. ... That is until I started reading birthing stories from women on the web who used natural childbirth .. They had wonderful things to say about the experience. They said that by knowing what was happening during the process and by managing the pain themselves, they felt like they were in control of what was happening and weren't left to the mercy of the doctors.

So what does the Brewer diet recommend?

PROTEIN!!!! That sounds familiar doesn't it.

80-100g of protein a day (Because studies show that protein keeps a healthy pregnancy and prevents pre-eclampsia).
2 farm fresh eggs (Cholesterol contained in them help build babies brains)
4 servings of Dairy (for the calcium and protein)
Lots of fruits and vegetables
5 servings of whole grain a day (turns out that isn't a lot and easily doable)
Green Leafy Vegetables (the vitamin C strengthens the placenta, membranes of waters, and cervix)
.... amongst other suggestions.


This diet has been so easy to alter to. AND THE BEST PART IS ... my doctors have had nothing to say about my health up to this point. My weight gain is appropriate, blood pressure is perfect, no iron deficiency, no UTIs, baby weight is perfect, uterine measurement is spot on, and the list keeps going.

I have less than two months left and the doctors have kept me in the green ... this is all due to the education I received in my 12 week Bradley Course, the books I've read, and the commitment I have for staying on track.

I am set up for an uncomplicated delivery, a speedy recovery, and a VERY HAPPY BABY EVAN!

PCOS Recipe: Lemon and Herb Oven Roasted Chicken

Lemon and Herb Oven Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

One Whole Free Range Chicken 4 Lbs.
Two Lemons
2-3 Carrots
2-3 Red Potatos
Green beans and/or a variety of any other veggies in season
Olive Oil
Ground Mustard Seed
Thyme Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
parsley

Directions:
If the bird you bought contains the gizzards, remove them.
Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a baking dish, place along the bottom the diced vegetables and put the chicken on top of the veggies. This will lift the chicken from the bottom of the pan and allow the skin to crisp on the bottom.
Gently lift the skin of the bird and rub in the seasonings and then sprinkle seasoning into the cavity of the bird.
Slice the lemons in half and squeeze some of the juice out of them. Put the remaining peals inside the cavity of the bird (make sure they have some juice left in them).
Take the juice and mix with some olive oil and baste the bird with the mixture. Drizzle some olive oil onto the veggies and then sprinkle both the bird and veggies with the salt and pepper (doing this last will prevent the oil from running it off the bird).

Place on the center rack and cook for an hour and a half, checking on the bird every 20 minutes to baste and to check for doneness.
Bird is done when a knife is placed into the meaty part of the thigh and the juices run clear. Or use a thermometer in the same spot. Look up the temp requirements for chicken ... I think it is 160 degrees.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve

PREGNANT AGAIN

So I'm pregnant again. .... I'm due in June and couldn't be more thrilled.

The past few months have been rough and tiring so I've taken a little break from experimenting with new dishes and I admit, my diet has been limited to things the little one would let me keep down. LOL

Now, in my second trimester, I feel much better and am excited to get back on track.

Two pregnancies in one year, not bad for a girl who can't have babies.

Stay tuned for new updates.

Recovery

I want to thank all of my readers who have written me over the past month wondering about my absence from this blog.
I am sorry I have been absent for so long and I thought it was important to share with all of my fellow PCOSers what has been happening in my journey.
Last time I wrote, I shared that I was expecting my first child. ... Unfortunately, I lost that child in my 9th week of pregnancy. (The pregnancy was ectopic, growing in my left fallopian tube).
I'm glad they found it when they did because it was on the brink of rupturing and it was a life threatening situation. :(

So, on the afternoon of my first ultrasound, I was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. I lost the baby and the left tube. ... Ever since then, I've been at home recovering, just trying to get back on track.

My family, friends, and my fellow PCOS gals have been a tremendous help through all of this and I can't thank you all enough for your kind words and prayers.

This whole thing has been a part of my journey ... a very interesting, stressful, depressing, and inspiring part of my journey.

I am comforted that I now know that I have healed myself from this condition but must continue the fight every day. Although this pregnancy didn't take, it wasn't lost because of PCOS or because of my health. It was a random event that no one could have controlled.

I look forward to the family I will grow one day and know that when the time comes, my little one will greet me in Heaven. ... I never knew them, but I loved them just the same.

God bless you all.

Pregnant! ... The PCOS diet woks!

THE DIET:

The PCOS diet was very simple. ...

Eat at least 50g of protein throughout the day with half coming from breakfast, cut out sugar (having stevia, honey, or molasses as needed), eat TONS of fruit and veggies, and finally, cut out simple carbohydrates and introduce complex carbs in small quantities. SIMPLE.
Yes, it was that simple to cure me of my PCOS. Okay, okay, so "cure" is a strong word and not entirely accurate. No, I don't have a single PCOS symptom anymore, but should I ever go back to my old lifestyle, those symptoms would return.

CONCEPTION AND EARLY PREGNANCY:
How do I know that the diet works? ... well, I've lost 46 lbs ... and I'm pregnant. All without ever taking one dose of Metformin or Chlomid! I have not taken any drugs to manage my condition ... I beat it WITH DIET ALONE!!! No IVF treatments, no shots, no fertility charting, no temperature monitoring, ... nothing.

I simply ate the things my body needed, let the love between myself and my husband grow, and gave the burden over to God.
My Mom and Dad were constantly asking when we were going to make them grandparents, and we had to be honest ... With my condition and with our refusal to go on any medication, it would be unlikely that I would ever become pregnant. However, I was on a diet to manage my condition and that there was a possibility that it may be all I needed. We simply threw caution to the wind and decided that if and when God wanted to bless us with a child, he would. Five months of this "caution free" lifestyle and adhering to the diet plan and ... I'm pregnant.

Currently, I am a little over 8 weeks pregnant with my first (and possibly only) child. We've tracked our conception to a trip we took to Biloxi, MS back in the early part of April. We had a blast by the way ... obviously.

How have the last 8 weeks been? ... Well, I found out Wednesday before last that I was pregnant and I have been to two doctor's appointments already. I've been sick only once and I have to say it was the most bazaar experience ever. I was throwing up, but not really sick, and I cried like a two year old, but I wasn't upset at all. Crying without cause is the strangest feeling I've ever had.
I have done some research, and it turns out that my PCOS diet can be attributed to my lack of "morning sickness". Having a balanced diet chocked full of B6 and essential vitamins (that we'll naturally get from veggies and fruit we eat a ton of) will stave off the sickness feeling. ...  I do, however, expect a great deal of sickness over the next few weeks and I am preparing myself for it. But I have to say that I am looking on the positive side of things at the moment because I haven't had half the amount of discomfort and nausea as other women have reported.

DIET DURING PREGNANCY:
I do not have to stop the diet during pregnancy! In fact, staying on the diet is more important than ever. This is because we are at an increased risk of miscarriage (50% likely) and we are at a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes. Avoiding simple carbs and sugars are essential during this time because of this. We need to make sure that our new babies are getting all the nutrients they need while also making sure that our insulin levels don't skyrocket by eating sugar and carbs.
Pregnancy is a delicate hormone dance, where hormones have to change at specific times to insure that certain things happen when they are supposed to happen. If our insulin shoots out of control, we already know from pre-pregnancy, all of the other hormones will follow suit. Which is why I deduce that many PCOS patients suffer miscarriage in early pregnancy. Think about it ... if insulin levels cause progesterone to drop ... all of the sudden, there is nothing keeping the body from holding onto the fetus and you may suffer a miscarriage.
But that means there is hope. With this information in hand, we can be confident that by simply adhering to the PCOS diet, that our risk of miscarriage drops drastically.
The number one thing we have to make sure to do is get frequent hormone level checks at the doctors office to monitor our progesterone levels. This past time I went it was a little low, so hopefully I can get them back up or I'll have to be put on synthetic progesterone to hold onto the pregnancy. But I thank God for modern medicine sometimes .... I'll do everything I can not to need the medicine, but I will take it if I need to.

The only change we have to make in our diet is overall calorie intake. In the first trimester, you should intake 200 more calories than before, 300 for the second trimester, and 500 for the third.
And it is HARD!!!
Before the PCOS diet, if I wanted extra calories, I would eat a bowl of ice cream. But now, fruits and vegetables aren't as high in caloric value as the unhealthy alternative. ... So when I get up to about 900 calories and want to stop, I am reminded that I have a lot of calories left to go. It is HARD work to get all of the calories in let me tell you. Right now my husband is keeping track of what I eat to make sure that the goal is met. Keep in mind ... if you are anything like me, your appetite is practically non-existent in the first trimester (from what my husband reads, it should return around week 18 or 19) so getting all of the calories in will be difficult.

OVERALL:
Overall, I am optimistic for the future. Even if I can't carry this baby to term, I am comforted knowing that I can conceive and have one down the road. I am also at ease knowing that anything is possible with God in your heart and that everything will happen according to his plan. All it takes is a little self love, love for others, and faith.

PCOS RECIPE: Turkey Tacos

TURKEY TACOS:

A lot of people think of turkey as dry and lifeless or as something that only comes around once a year. But when you buy the right kind of turkey, like humanly raised birds, the flavor is jammed packed and JUICY! My husband LOVES THESE!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of ground turkey (No added hormones or antibiotics, fed on vegetarian diet NOT JENNIE O ... PS: Plainville Farms turkey [available at Publix] and Jennie O are about the same price per pound so you might as well get the added health benefits and meat from a happier bird)
• 1 Package of taco seasoning (my favorite is the Kroger brand)
• Canola Oil or Olive oil (organic if you have it)
• Lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese (organic), avocado, etc. etc. The more veggies the better
• Low Carb or Whole Grain soft shell taco shells OR organic blue corn hard shell taco shells. 
• Organic salsa (optional)

In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add turkey and seasoning. Stir and cook until done. 

Assemble tacos. YUMMY!

TIPS AND WHY THIS DISH IS GOOD?

Turkey is lower in fat than beef and has some great nutrients and has Omega 3s too when it is a vegetarian fed or free range bird!

You can omit the oil for a slightly healthier taco, but the oil makes it taste SO MUCH BETTER.

Use the cheese sparingly ... dairy isn't good for us PCOSers, ESPECIALLY if you are using regular cheese. If you like to use more cheese, the best thing to do is buy organic if you can find it. There won't be any added hormones than those that naturally occur in dairy. ... It's may seem like an expensive change, but really it isn't when you break the cost down per taco.

Use your judgement on the taco shell and do some research. Keep your carb budget in mind and if you are an extreme PCOS dieter, omit the shell and use a leaf of romaine lettuce as your taco shell. 

Serve tacos with slices of mango .... or for an indulgence, organic salsa and organic blue corn chips. 

 

PCOS RECIPE: Fried Green Tomatoes

Since tomatoes are coming into season, one of my favorite dishes as a southern gal is FRIED GREEN TOMATOES. I used to get green tomatoes from the supermarket and coat them in milk and flour and fry them in vegetable oil. I know now, milk should be avoided, flour is BAD and veggie oil is full of bad fats ...  Now, this isn't exactly a "healthy" dish, but balance is everything, and what is a southern girl without some fried comforts?? 

This is the first opportunity since my journey began with PCOS to experiment with this dish to make it more friendly for my condition. I tried it a few different ways, but here is the best one:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES:

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 Organic Green Tomato(es) (from a local stand, they have more flavor)
• 1 Organic, free range egg
• Organic Corn Starch
• Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice Flour
• Canola Oil (organic if you can find it [I did at Publix])

Chill the tomatoes for a few hours if you can, it makes them easier to slice without "squishing" them. The best way to slice is to use a mandolin slicer, but slice them as thinly as you can if you don't have one. Sometimes, having thick and thin slices produces better results anyway. 

Dip the sliced tomato in the egg and coat in a brown rice flour and corn starch mixture. About 70% brown rice flour and 30% corn starch. 

Heat canola oil in a skillet about 1/2" deep on high and put a small piece of tomato in the grease. When the tomato begins to bubble, put the rest of the slices into the grease and fry until slightly golden brown. 

Here's the kicker: NO SPECIAL SAUCE for a truly PCOS friendly meal! Eat without condiment or with a reduced sugar ketchup. YUMMY 

Recent Journey to Organic

When I first started this journey with PCOS, I found a blog called PCOS Diva. After reading her blog, I thought "wow, this girl is NUTS!!". She took the PCOS diet guidelines and took them to a huge extreme. I thought, I could NEVER afford to eat that way, nor would I want to.

But one thing kept nagging me in the back of my mind ..... She argued against being a "dairy queen". That led me to research why I shouldn't have milk, and if I did, why I should drink organic. ....

It clicked in me ... OMG, every time I take a bite of anything, it is filled with hormones that make this struggle even harder than before. The worst part is ... most of these hormones are not there by an act of God, they are put there by men in order to make are animals grow faster and bigger, thus feeding more people and making them more money. Look at the way we eat, if there was a little less food to go around in the US, would any of us suffer? We'd all lose a few pounds I suspect and stop overindulging in food we don't need.

That research led me to a few documentaries on our current food system and how our food is more of a "product" than actual food. If you have Netflix like I do, you can watch them yourself. I recommend "Food Fight" and "Fresh" among others.

Now I can't fight it anymore. I am on the bandwagon for free-range, cage-free, organic meats and organic, locally produced fruits and vegetables. No, there is no taste difference between the $1.20 one dozen pack of store brand eggs and the all natural cage-free organic alternative that sells for around $2.80-$4.50 per dozen. But that extra you spend is making you healthier because you aren't getting those artificial hormones and you can be assured that the chickens they came from led a happy life. .... Whenever I am in the store and am tempted to save the $2, my husband looks at me with sad eyes and says "cheep cheep cheep cheep" like a little chick and I remember that when I purchase those eggs I am "voting" for the types of food I want to see in the store.
As far as the milk and meat goes ... there is a HUGE taste difference. The milk is creamier and the meat has a LOT more flavor. When you go to a five star restaurant, that isn't industrial Wal-Mart beef you're eating. It was most likely raised on a farm no more than 50 miles away.
Not only that, there is a video out there on the internet showing footage of a Land-O-Lakes dairy farm. I cried like a baby when I watched it. I couldn't believe that by buying the $1.98 gallons of milk or a $2 brick of butter I was telling the dairy industry that their practices were not only okay, but that I was okay with whatever means they deemed necessary to bring it to me for a low price. And that's NOT acceptable. Why should we torture these animals just to save a few dollars?? Composing myself took a little more than a few minutes, but when I finally did, I searched for footage of an organic farm. That's when I found footage from the Horizon diary farm. You could see the cows in the field playing and eating the grass. ... They were happy and healthy, the way any diary cow should be raised.
I will never ... never .... never bring the industrial food into my home again.

At the moment, the closest organic meat I can find is at the Whole Foods store 30 miles away in the city. UNACCEPTABLE. Now I am on a journey to find options closer to home.

I have now found two organic veggie farms here in town and I plan on setting up an appointment with them to tour their farms and find out how to purchase their produce.
Now I am on a mission to find eggs locally (to save some $$) and to find some organic meats too. The meats I suspect, will be a little further away and I am probably going to have to find a grocery store or butcher shop that has it ... unfortunately for me, I don't think we have any butchers anymore as they were pushed out by WalMart a long time ago. But the eggs I imagine are entirely doable.

This health mission has now extended past me and my family. It now extends beyond me and my journey. Now, I am on a journey for my own health and a journey to insure that the animals that are giving their lives for my nourishment are in turn, being provided a full, healthy, and happy life from the people who raise them. I will not allow the food I eat to come from tortured and the way I insure that is to research the things that I buy, vote with my purchasing dollars to send a message, and by encouraging my fellow PCOSgals to educate themselves on these issues. Hopefully you too will see why these changes not only need to be made for our own health, but to fight for what we stand for as human beings.

Live better, eat healthy, and get familiar with that logo by buying organic.

Being a Little Selfish

It has been 6.5 months since starting this journey with PCOS and I am asked from time to time how life is different now.

Most people are reffering to my weight loss when they ask that question. They want to know how I feel or if I have more confidence since losing a great deal of weight. The weight loss has certainly made life easier ... and I'm not shocked when I pass mirrors anymore, at least not in a bad way. But the weight loss is only part of the change.

It feels like my life has been changed in almost a fundamental way. I am still me ... I am still a nice person, I still think about others and their feelings, I still believe in Jesus and the hereafter, I still love my husband, and I still think that how I treat others will come back to me 10 fold. I am still me! ..... What has changed is my relationship with myself.

...


You can't take care of others until you first take care of yourself. .... That realization is essentially how my life has changed.

If I focus on other people without putting myself into the equation .... well ... that's how people become unhealthy. Being healthy takes a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a lot of money. Three things that when focused on others can do a lot of good .... but unfortunately it means you are neglecting yourself and you can't keep up all of that goodwill for long when your health is fading. Pretty soon ... you're going to need a lot of people focusing all of their attention on you and making you better.

Being unhealthy makes you fatigued, sluggish, sickly, and unmotivated. But being healthy gives you tons of energy, drive, and of course ... you are more likely to live longer.

Being a little selfish doesn't seem so selfish anymore does it?

...

Now that I've added a little "selfishness" into my life, I have to say, I've become a better wife, a better employee, and generally, a better person. I'm able to contribute more than ever before, even though more of my resources are focused on myself.
Before this change, my life was hard to manage and had frequent breakdowns ... hey, 7 day work weeks with no weekends can really drain a healthy person, let alone an unhealthy one. My hormones being out of whack made every day a challenge. But now, I do the same schedule, the same grind ... but it isn't difficult anymore. I do it without batting an eye now.

Yes, life has changed in many, many ways. .... And I'm enjoying every turn this life is throwing at me.

Back on Track: Accountability with Food Journaling

This week was a success!

I am back on track and seeing the results. The key to this week was simple: Food Journaling.

In my previous post I talked about how on this journey we are accountable to only one person: ourselves.
Because of this, when we succeed, it gives us a great sense of pride and accomplishment ... but it is also the very reason why most of us fail.

When we are accountable to others, they will know when we fail. Think about it, if you want and extension on a deadline or extra credit in school you have to go to another person and ask permission ... and they may say no. But when we are on this journey, when we want to cheat, binge, or completely go off track, the only person we have to ask permission from is us. Because of that, we will find ways to justify our stumble or rationalize our behavior ... and it is easy to give ourselves permission to do things we shouldn't.

When I think about this journey, I often see myself as two people. One Ashley is trying her hardest to succeed and be a diva in this journey, but then there is another Ashley that wants to cheat and thinks ...."mmmm ..... Cheetoes". lol.

This week, I tried something new: Food Journaling.

We are often blind to our own stumbles and pitfalls, but by writing it down, we have no choice but look at our diets truthfully and be honest with ourselves at the end of the week.
When the scale shows a loss, a gain, or stays the same, we can look back at the week and see where we went wrong or went right. .... It makes the inanimate journal the "person" we are accountable to.

I took a small notepad and started writing down everything I ate ... and I realized, that because it was more trouble to find that silly thing and write it down, I was less likely to snack late at night. I would have just enough energy to grab a snack, but not quite enough to grab a snack and write it down and calculate the carb intake.

This week, I lost 1.2lbs ... pretty good for a girl who has a condition making it near impossible to loose weight. :)

I hope to get to a point in my life where I will no longer need the journal, but for now, I am just starting out and the journal will help me fight those old habits of mine.

Falling off the Wagon!

Well, I've hit plateaus a few times since starting this journey, and it appears that I've hit another. :(

A few posts ago I announced that I had reached a milestone of a 42 pound loss. ... since then, I've put back on 3 pounds. ... Now I'm back to the weight that I've been hovering around for about two months. [sigh]

We have to expect that plateaus will happen naturally no matter what you do and you can't expect to lose weight every week. ... But of course we are all human and it is natural for us to creep back into old habits ... it really is a test of discipline and a test of will power to stay on track. 

The diet itself isn't difficult ... the food is amazing and I haven't had food this full of flavor and variety in my entire life. ... The difficult part of this journey are the habits of old. 

I spent 25 years of my life snacking on junk food and gorging on rolls at dinner time. Twenty five years of skipping breakfasts and eating pizza three times a week. Twenty five years of bagged lunches with Debbie Cakes, personal bags of chips, white bread sandwiches, and candy. 

All of that training won't melt away because of a diagnosis or a commitment to a new way of life. Those habits will creep back in and turn their ugly heads from time to time. 

Now, those easy switches I haven't gone back on. I haven't had white bread, Debbie Cakes, or candy since the diagnosis. ... but the other things have made an entrance from here and there, and I have to admit it to myself, these habits is the main reason why I've hit a plateau lately. I have the tendency to forget that while I may have some things in extreme moderation .... my brain starts to think that I can have them after all ... and over indulge. I've eaten whole grain Cheeze-Its, organic blue corn chips, and brown rice to excess. I'm not gaining weight or going completely off the wagon, but I am going off track. This week, I even convinced myself that I could indulge in a slice of carrot cake because I've been a "good girl" on my diet. 

This is the bottom line .. we aren't accountable to anyone but ourselves! Because of that, we have to realize that having that extra cracker or having that slice of cake is a very real thing that affects us and our diet. Forget carb budges for a moment and all of that ... when we eat that cracker, we are telling our bodies that they aren't worth the sacrifice, that our bodies aren't worth the care and effort we have committed to giving them. 

In the end, nothing tastes as good as feeling good feels ... isn't that what this journey is all about?

Today, I am making a commitment to staying on track. I know that I will falter now and again, and I won't ever truly be rid of those old bad habits, but if I stay mindful to their existence and have the will power to control them, I will succeed.  

EAT ORGANIC and manage PCOS!

I've been struggling lately with the milk delima because so many sites say that ladies with PCOS shouldn't eat dairy products. Why??

 

I have been researching the question for about a week and the results startled me and made me realize exactly why dairy is so dangerous for me ... :(

 

The bottom line to my research is that milk, cheese, and butter contain an alarming amount of hormones in them. I've heard that all my life but until this week, never made the connection. My dad always said that the reason I had big breasts was because he always fed me lots of milk and chicken. That essentially, hormones make women mature faster, hit puberty faster, and they make us bigger ( . ) ( . )    .... lol.

 

Those hormones may make our girlies bigger, but they may also do a lot of harm. ( Girls hitting puberty at 9 can't be a good thing.) And when it comes to those of us with PCOS, we already struggle everyday to maintain our hormone levels .... so why would we drink something that makes that challenge even greater??

 

Milk, Cheese, and butter contain DHT and progesterone among other hormones. DHT contributes to our hair loss and progesterone promotes infertility. Think about it ... any of us that are familiar with birth control knows that the most active hormone in those medications is progesterone! I have been fighting the hair loss for a long time now and more recently infertility and it kills me to know that I have been drinking something that is thwarting my efforts.

 

But I also came across some interesting literature that organic milk, cheese, and butter don't contain hormone levels as high as the regular dairy products we buy. Many of the PCOSers out there have shunned dairy completely, switching to almond butter and soy milk. But I LOVE butter and milk. Soy milk just isn't the same ... and on top of that ... there is also research that shows the dangers of eating soy. What is a PCOS Gal to do???That's why I am releived that I don't have to give up my favorties ... I just have to fork out my checkbook and pay through the nose for organic dairy. Now ... I am still not going to buy organic cheese. The way my husband chows down on cheese ... we'd go broke ... But I am planning to use it consiously and more sparingly than before. So no more mac-n-cheese for me, just a little garnish for my tacos. When I get a hankering for milk, I will reach for the organic and since my diet now calls for such limited amounts of butter, the organic brands won't hurt my feelings.

 

I'm not done researching meats though. I know that there are hormones present in cattle and chickens to make them grow bigger faster, which I suspect also affects my hormone levels ... but more research is needed.

However, one thing is certain, organic, at least in meat and dairy, is safer for those of us in the world who have a hormone inballance. Lesson learned ... it's time for another change in my life and diet ... but I don't think that this change will be a huge bump on my journey ... though my wallet may not agree.

Grocery Shopping

Last night, I went grocery shopping after work and I found some excellent finds in the health food section. I have to share all of these amazing finds with you. Yes, we are supposed to limit carbs, but from time to time, a little treat within reason can't hurt ... and those Kashi Steamer meals are good anytime. It's all about balance and we need good carbs to live a balanced life ... these options have helped me stay on track and keep away from the cupcakes and deep-dish pizza.




AMAZING FIND #1:
Kashi's Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Soft-Baked Cookies!
Okay Okay, so they don't taste like traditional cookies. But I have to say, after not having cookies for over 6 months, it was exactly what I needed to satisfy a craving. Yes they are sweetened, but with all natural honey which isn't bad for us PCOSers. Not only that, they are made with stone rolled oats. I had ONE ... yes, just one ... everything in moderation, even the good stuff.





AMAZING FIND #2:
Kashi's Roasted Vegetable Thin Crust Pizza!
Kashi has done it yet again with this amazing pizza. Got a craving for some pizza pie? Oh, this will curb this craving.
Whole GRAIN crust, all natural ingredients, it doesn't get better than that!

AMAZING FIND #3:
Kashi's Steam Meals!
Gotta love Kashi .... These steam meals are packed with protein, what us PCOSers use for energy! They take 4.5 minutes to cook in the microwave and are delicious, which make them perfect for my dinner at work when I don't have a lot of time and don't feel like cooking. Hey, it's how to manage my PCOS realistically for me.

AMAZING FIND #4:
Cascadian Farm Organic Kids Cinnamon Crunch!
Whole grain cereal with CINNAMON! If you've read my previous post on cinnamon, then you already know about what cinnamon can do for PCOS. I am very excited about this find. A small bowl with some organic milk and a half a banana. Yup, that's a great breakfast. For that perfect PCOS breakfast, sprinkle some flavor-free protein powder on your cereal. (Yes, it is hard to find). Or if you're like me and don't like cereal in the morning ... a small bowl will make a perfect snack at the end of the night.

Hair Solution Day One Review

I finally got my Clinicure in the mail this week and I was so excited to try it out on my hair.
So here is my "Day One" review:

• I like that the bottles are labeled steps 1,2,&3. It helps someone like me who will forget over time.
• The cleanse smells amazing ... kinda minty and like green tea.
• The nourish is a bit thick and I was worried I didn't put enough on my hair. ... but it seemed to do okay.
• I was worried that the rescue bottle was going to wet my hair down too much to style ... but I worked it in with my fingers and it soaked right in. 

After all of the applications, I have to say, I can actually see the difference. I'm not saying that I grew hair instantly, but one of the steps claims to make hair look fuller and make the scalp the best condition it can be for fuller looking hair. Usually, I have to play with my hair for a while and put a light spritz of hair spray in it to hide the thin spots .... today .... I didn't need to play or spritz at all!! I am so excited to see what the difference will be at the end of the trial period.    :)

Cinnamon .... A Treatment for PCOS?

I read a study today about cinnamon and it's medicinal effects on PCOS and diabeties.

Essentially, cinnamon is linked with the reduction of blood sugar and the management of insulin levels. Check out the article here.

I am intrigued about this, especially after hearing my friend Juan's account about how ginger has all but cured his gout problems. ... Not only that, but my friend Rubina also has her husband using ginger tea to help with his shingle pain.

With all of the things that God creates for us to use ... why wouldn't he create some things that would cure  our ailments? It is common knowledge that many of the wonderful medicines that doctors use today were found growing naturally in the rain forrest or from a particular hair that grows on the nose of a unique animal. God gave us all of the plants and animals on this Earth for our use ... to consume to nourish our bodies and for us to protect. I love the fact that our our Lord gives us all we need on this Earth.

Has anyone out there tried this out? Did it work for you?