Take me to the river…wash me down…

Hey everybodee…it’s time to ramp up for NOJF (New Orleans Jazz Fest)…we’re leaving in just over three weeks. It’s a Jazz, Blues & Heritage Festival every year at the end of April/beginning of May. My mojo needs a boost and I’ve got to tell you that there’s no soul revival for me better than this. There’s gospel, zydeco, old, down-home blues, cajun, dixieland, the mardi gras indians…mmmm…a little lagniappe to take home, café au lait, crawfish po’ boys, red beans & rice, grilled barbeque oysters…

It could be a BTD disaster of epic proportions, but there are enough bennies available and DELICIOUS that I don’t foresee any problems. Besides that, I don’t indulge in the hurricanes or even Bourbon Street anymore, so it’s all good on that end. The few non-compliant food items are far overshadowed by the soulful benefits of that amazing sound, culture and history. Ah…I love this time of year…

On the homefront, we’re eating very well this week. I went crazy shopping and bought bags and bags of fresh produce. On an interesting BTD related physical improvement—it’s been a very long time since I’ve eaten raw veggies. I had been seeing a homeopathic doc for a while because of horrible acid reflux and sour tummy. She recommended that I eat only cooked veggies (even if steamed for a few minutes) to aid digestion. I sort of kept that habit, even after beginning the BTD again. Well, the lettuce and spinach and tomatoes are so fresh, ripe and flavorful right now that I was craving salad very badly. Anyhow, I’ve had lots and lots of salad the past two days without a single hint of reflux or nausea. I am chalking this up to the regenerative effects of the diet. Count that as yet another score for Dr. D’Adamo and the healing effects of ER4YT! More stories later…perhaps a recipe or two will come of this week’s bonanza of produce. We made veggie fritters again and they were amazing!! I’ll post that within the next day or two.

Until next time…be well…

Why is it that some weekends there isn’t a single moment to get to the market to stock up on produce for the coming week? Here it is, 7:30 on Sunday night and I’ve got nothing but an orange and an onion in the bins at the bottom of the ‘fridge…and the orange is an avoid!! Ah well, tomorrow starts terribly early, but finishes by mid-afternoon so I’ll make it to the market on the way home. Perhaps I’ll try to snatch a couple of apples from the mega-conglomerate-no-longer-striking-grocery-store-chain-monstrosity in the morning on the way to starting my day. Apples and PB & J are moderately compliant and better than chocolate bars and espresso…

More later…be well…

Yum! I love, love, love being home to cook!! I’m sure that there are many variations, but I learned how to make calabacitas (squash dish) with zucchini, yellow and mexican squashes, corn, onion, garlic, jalepeno, diced tomatoes and cheese. Really only the corn is an avoid for us AB’s and I’ve slowly pulled back the amount of cheese in the dish if I add it in at all. So anyhow, my modified dish today (one of those pull-it-out-of-the-veggie-drawer-and-create-something) included onion, yellow squash, garlic (lots!), tomatoes, and chile. I added some ground turkey and put a fried egg on top with beans on the side. Ah…though it would have been great if I had any tortillas in the house (and I’m sure the breakfast was a food combining nightmare)…it was a fantastic meal! I don’t even need my coffee yet…what a great start to the day before the weekend!!

I’m back in the pool today, yoga tonight and hiking (with ocean views!) tomorrow. Library? What library?! I need to shirk my studying duties just a pinch and have a little fun!! Campus Spring Break is this coming week and I’ve got a calendar full of scholastic obligations…so I get to slack off (only a little!) this weekend!!

I hope that this finds you all happy and healthy in BTDLand…be well…

Hey y’all, the good news is that I’m pretty much back to being compliant on the BTD…and I’m on the mend quickly from that mean ‘ole cold. The not-so-good news is that the cough is still holding on…but it’s getting better by degrees daily too, so as long as I go gently with myself, it should be out’ta here. I sent a note over to blogger Mike about that parsley soup that he mentioned several days ago and I have to say that I just love it!! It’s certainly one of those things that left me wondering as I made it…but I must say…it’s so yummy!! I made it with thin rice noodles (AB good!) and it was just divine! Go over and check it out dudes and dudettes!! You won’t be sorry! Take care of yourselves, happy (compliant) eating and go blow bubbles in the park, or do a cartwheel or set some seeds to sprout on your windowsill…spring is almost here…can you smell it on the breeze? Yahoo!!!!!

Note to Redd…Girl, you are too funny! I love your messages! My tier two bennies aren’t the same as yours (as you’re type O), but they come from the Live Right 4 Your Type book. Tier two is kind of like the “jet fuel” portion of the diet…best of the best for your system. Yup, warm water and lemons are for everybody in the morning. I read it in ER4YT and Cook Right. And I hear you on the whole body (including joints) aches that come along with non-compliance…but those girl scout cookies…sometimes being bad is just so good…*wink* And lastly, the reference on March 20 to skipping the water was a reference to the pool. As I felt like I was coming down with a cold, I thought that my already stressed immune system didn’t need me exposed to the elements and in the water. Our work-outs are pretty intense and I just wanted to give my body the energy it needed to fight off the germs.

Take care and be well…

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to make my favorite (beneficial) comfort foods again. Oh, that’s right! I’m not home long enough to wait for them to cook!! The good thing that has come of being sick this weekend is that I’ve been housebound long enough to cook food! There are beans boiling on the stove as I write this and the house smells like heaven on earth!! I also roasted some dried chile and chopped them up in the blender for my favorite add-to-everything spice. Sadly, I’m still sick (developed a knarly deep-down cough), but am certainly on the mend. I’m also still going to avoid the pool today, but may cruise around the ‘hood for a walk later in the afternoon.

Anyhow, I’m off to continue doing homework (thank goodness for home link-ups to the campus library!). Hope that this finds you all having a weekend that has been divine…or at least better than average.

IN REPLY TO MESSAGES: (REMEMBER—I am in no way a medical doctor. What I write here is only what works for me…and/or my opinions…)

Molli in LA: the only practical advice that I can offer about avoiding sweets and processed foods is to wean yourself off slowly, and allow yourself to indulge once and a while (just not overboard!). As for chicken and corn…well, girl, that’s a toughie! Turkey is a great substitute with some advance planning and a bennie for us AB’s. As for the corn…how much are you eating? If that ‘s one of the only avoids, maybe it’s okay? Remember…as a full-time student…you need to take care of your psyche too…and if corn’s gotta stick around a bit longer…just be extra compliant with everything else!! Good luck!

Wes in ???: Warm water and lemons is recommended as a first drink in the morning to get your digestive system going. I think that it’s recommended for all blood types. If you don’t want to buy any of the books, see if they’re in your local library…it’s nice to have some of the history behind what you’re doing. The BTD really is more of a lifestyle change than a diet. But, to really get you jumpstarted, scroll down on this web page (dadamo.com) to the Support and Solutions section. Click on RECIbase and go to the Index. You’ll get bunches (101 I think!) of recipes…just pick out the AB ones and you're on your way!! Also, if you can buy a book, Cook Right 4 Your Type is the one that I started with and still use the most often. Good luck!

It’s almost 6pm here on the West Coast, and I’m slowing regaining the world of the living. Needless to say, I didn’t go to yoga last night or to the pool today. I’ve spent the day gathering research, napping, reading said research, napping some more and trying to feel better. I’ve been running a low-grade fever since yesterday (low grade’s more typical for me than higher temps) and just starting taking Advil about 2 hours ago. I was hoping to avoid medicine all together…but my head’s too fuzzy to write up my homework and there’s plenty to do!! So anyhow, I am feeling better (had bennie turkey broth soup and chile eggplant/tofu today) and should be in pretty good condition by tomorrow. I will probably continue the Advil just so that I can be productive. I may skip the water tomorrow too…just to give my immune system a chance to reboot.

Healthy eating and thinking to y’all out there in cyberland…be well…

Well, the rotten eating has caught up to me. I’m sick. I woke up today (not unlike every other day these past three weeks) feeling like I had been passed through a meat grinder. However, (different from the past three weeks) I also have a sore throat, a cough, stuffy nose and gunky eyes. And I just feel wiped out. So I think that I’ll crawl back into bed, take a nap (no pool for me today…that’s how I know it’s bad), cancel my lunch date (boo!) and see what’s a bennie that I can cook up later. If I can do better for the afternoon, perhaps I’ll still try to catch up with my yoga class tonight. We shall see.

One quick note, I made a yummy recipe with mustard greens this week (AB bennie)…it’s in the RECIbase program at the dadamo.com site, just do a search for ingredients and mustard greens and it’ll come up. It’s got a different flavor (I just made white rice and put the greens/(brown)mushrooms on top…didn’t make the risotto part), I liked it!! It’s one of those once in a while kind of dishes.

My hair is greasy

My head is heavy

My feet are cold

My eyes are droopy

And so I go…

Howdy y’all…how’s it shakin’? Things here are a bit better than the last blog, though I’ve been on a cookie binge (had to bake for one of my classes…is this a Home Ec degree, cripes!) for the past day or so, and realized that I’m PMSing too…so there you have it. I’m using the hormones scapegoat this week!! But I am cooking up some tuna steaks this morning, so probably my new “superfood” will take the edge off a bit. As of this morning, I’ve also re-begun my warm water with lemon upon rising. It really does set the tummy for a day of appropriate eating. I like that.

It’s only Tuesday and I’m already completely exhausted, having crawled my aching body into bed at 1 am last night. I was up and out at 6 am yesterday morning, so that made for a long, tiring day. I woke up with every part of my body hurting. It really is critical to get enough sleep and I still find it amusing that on the BTD my body creates a mutiny against my mistreatment!! If it could kick me out of myself…it probably would!! Good thing I’m a sovereign ruler!! Har har har…

Well all, if I lollygag much longer, I’ll miss my time in the pool. Oh! And I forgot to tell you over the weekend. I took a yoga class on Friday! I loved it!! I’ve got another one tomorrow. There were so many muscles deep inside of me that got stretched out…pure heaven!! I know that I’m late on the bandwagon, but I’m on the yoga train now baby!!

Think happy thinks and be well…

Ah, the omnipresent existence of cyber-space and blog readers keeps me honest. Oftentimes painfully so. I am ashamed to report that the past several days have not found me remotely compliant with the BTD. More girl scout cookies, take-out burritos, peanut M&M’s and the deadly Oreo Cookie shake a’la Jack/Box. I ran out of time to go grocery shopping, didn’t have any fish in the house and was just plum too tired/stressed to worry constructively about food.

Stuffing myself to the point of seam-busting seems to be one of the last bad (self-destructive) behaviors that I have left. (I’ve been working very hard for the past several years to create serenity, peace and health in my life.) Without going into detail, I’ll admit that the other bad behaviors were much worse than the over-eating one and if that’s all that’s left, I’m doing really great!! But, with me being me…really great isn’t nearly good enough. I want to have all bad behaviors irradicated from my system completely. This includes “numbing out” with food. I don’t have the time for eating poorly and my body just doesn’t enjoy bad foods anymore. The trick is getting my habits to go along with what my body wants and needs.

My body knows and begs to have its’ needs and wants satisfied. Case in point: Yesterday I was completely exhausted (too many late nights this week completing homework/research) and running on fumes food wise. When I got to campus in the evening I got a tuna fish sandwhich and just picked off the fish (of course mixed with mayo and celery) without eating the bread. This was accompanied by a veggie (an Asian one that I don’t know how to spell!!) from the night before. Within 20 minutes of eating, I felt strong and energetic! Tuna is a bennie for us AB’s, and the veggie, if it’s not a bennie, it’s at least a neutral.

I don’t know why it still surprises me that I feel so good when I eat right (for my type!), It makes sense cognitively, but I’m still amazed at the very real physical reaction that occurs. I compare it to that feeling that a body has when aspirin wipes away the headache in a very noticeable way. It’s like jet-fuel hits my blood stream and I’m ready to motor!! I think that tuna may be my new superfood (but I’ll not give up on Dr. Schulz…just add to the actual Superfood regimen).

Okay, so with all confessions out of my system, do know that I continue to swim in the pool every day (now adding weekends b/c I’m on campus anyhow) and am FINALLY going to a yoga class tonight. It’s for beginners and if I like it, I’ll invest some moo-lah and purchase a package. My body is closing in on itself for lack of stretching…I need some serious help! I was thinking too that yoga may be a new incentive for me to stick to the diet. Jack, the other AB blogger often says, “Eat to fuel.” I’m not quite there yet…but do like the concept and certainly want to stop eating-to-numb…

So, have a great weekend BTD dieters and friends. Stay compliant, be well and take care. And write to me!! I haven’t gotten a single message since February 19th!! I feel so unloved!! Let me know how the BTD is working for you…what are your successes, bumps in the road, inspirations, strategies, etc?

Monday, Monday…can’t trust that day…

I am so overwhelmed with the amount of cognitive work that I’ve forced upon myself these past eight months. I’m getting tired and burnt out. The sunshine is back, spring is in the air…and that means that smog is returning (good-bye picturesque mountain views), the heat will be unbearable and sitting in traffic will find my clothing soaked through with sweat. Charming, eh?

There’s nothing like starting out the week in a grouchy mood!! Tee hee, anyhow, it is a fresh day to work on the BTD. I also printed up a list of Tier Two bennies to load up on this week; we shall see how that goes. My goal is to drop 10 pounds by April 7th (a full four weeks from yesterday). I’ve only lost five pounds total since January, so I’m looking to make this stick.

I’m tired of feeling so ugly and yucky, and with my coursework/driving conditions drastic measures are needed. I’m of course going to still eat (too old to starve myself anymore), but I’m going to lay off sugar/honey in my coffee and tea. I’m also going to lay off the very non-compliant Girl Scout Cookies and any other processed sweets. Beyond my regular swims, I’ve re-begun my quick cardio morning workout and will throw sneakers in the car so that study breaks find me taking a brisk walk around campus rather than hopping on-line in the library. I’d like to include some weight training, but the (free) campus fitness lab is open at times that are inconvenient for me. There may be some opportunity on Wednesday, Friday and the weekends…so that will be a goal to work on. The yoga thing keeps falling through because I have no extra money and none of the scheduled times fit.

Blast this crazy year!!! At any rate, I hope that this finds YOU all well and compliant. Thanks for letting me rant…yet again!!

Hey y’all…it’s official…either I’m getting old, or the BTD has gotten me so healthy that I can’t successfully mistreat my body anymore. I went out to a club last night to see my friend’s band and only had part of one shot (bought for me by someone else). The only other thing I had to drink was a glass of very sugary lemonade (non-alcoholic). I got to bed late (3 am) and woke up at 8:30 (why, oh, why can’t I sleep ‘til 10 even!) with a grouchy tummy and a general hang-over kind of out of it feeling. This is very depressing news. I know it’s from the bit of alcohol, sugar and lack of sleep…but it’s nice to be able to go out once and a while…the problem being that I can’t afford to be lazy the whole (or even part) of the next day. Ah well, more examples of growing up and supposed maturity…

The other bothersome fact is that I’m completely bloated and gross this morning. My belly and hips for sure, and even my face a bit. It’s so ugly feeling! And I have a date tonight!! The plan for today is to take an extra long, if easy, swim (in the bright sunshine, yay!), take mini-naps if I need them and get as much homework done before tonight as possible. You can bet the farm that I won’t be enjoying wine with dinner, either…it’ll be water or green tea for me all the way! I’ll also load up on extra superfood to try and cleanse my system a bit.

That’s it for me for today. Be well and stay smiling…

Eww…my kitchen smells like a big flesh ball! Yuck! I’ve been pretty compliant on the BTD this week (aside from the great Girl Scout Cookie debacle of Sunday night), but haven’t had any protein. So I made some of the ground turkey for breakfast (mixed with onions&mushrooms, rice and beans of course!). I know that LR4YT suggests food combining, but honestly, right now, I just don’t have the time. So my plan of action is to stick to bennies/neutrals with a big breakfast (highly recommended for us AB’s) and small foods throughout the day. Aside from the animal flesh problem, I also continue to struggle with getting in enough grains. I’m not too fond of sandwiches, but may just have to suck it up and buy some bread (only bennie of course!!). I love tortillas, but don’t eat home enough to grill them properly…

Ah, well, time to run off to school. The pressure of this semester got amped up about 30% this week and my head is spinning. There’s a mountain of work to get over before May and the completion of this degree. In my weakest moments, I begin to reconsider the decision to pursue the PhD…it’s an awful big commitment. Thankfully my weakest moments don’t stick around too long!! The vigorous swims every day have a way of washing those “bad” thoughts right out of my system.

Have a great weekend, eat with compliance and be well!

It is so funny how sometimes even the best intentions just aren’t good enough. I stayed up Sunday night until 2:45 a.m. (Pacific Time!) re-reading Harry Potter #4…again. I had re-read #5 in January and needed to escape last week. My solace was found inside the pages of that enormous tome. However, I had work to do for my consulting job on Monday morning and of course, a full day and night of classes afterwards. Being sleepy was not on my list of things to do this week. But I did still get to the pool and completed the entire workout. I only had one cup of coffee in the morning, and guzzled green tea and water for the rest of the day. I didn’t have too much food with me, but didn’t buy anything from the campus junk either. So what I’m rambling about is that my best intentions were to get to bed early on Sunday for a fresh start to the week, and eat Tier 2 bennies to drop weight. At least what I ate were bennies…and the sleep will just have to come over the next couple of days. Sadly, today finds me unable to really cook again (more consulting work to do), so I’ll be heavy on the fruit and leaner on the veggies. Fuhget’tabout any meat…no time to cook flesh until Wednesday.

And now, to make matters somewhat confusing…I am writing this at 11:47 pm PT on Tuesday night. So it’s almost Wednesday already, the post will read Wednesday 3 am ET and I’m a wreck. I’ve been caught up under the tidal wave of this Master’s work and consulting job and I haven’t been able to catch any air. I didn't even get to vote today because I forgot to file a change of address to get my new polling place. Not that I was anywhere near home long enough today to go exercise my civic duty. Tomorrow, today, whatever…Wednesday! Is my day “off” with no classes to go to, just a day to do paperwork, errands and research. Yeah, that’s not happening this week. I have to get my taxes done, but they’re a million miles away because nothing is close in LA, especially when you’ve lived all over it. So what does this mean for the BTD? I ate another whole box of Girl Scout cookies, that what it means!! And I’m not going to get to go to the market for veggies tomorrow, that’s what else it means!! And I won’t get caught up on sleep, and I’ve got enormous boils erupting on my face because of the bad food I’ve been eating but…at the very least…I have been in the pool every day, so there’s something.

Okay, so these blogs were supposed to be honest (if not edited…sorry!) and that’s what you’ve gotten all along from me, but today’s is honest and fuming…I wanted it to get out there and if I took the times to get the fumes out, it wouldn’t get submitted until, oh, I don’t know, Friday!! So I promise that my next blog won’t find me feeling sorry for myself…and within the next couple of entries, I’ll share my infinite wisdom for time management, self-love, happy, healthy eating and creating a balanced life. And if it’s not really infinite wisdom, but trial and error learning...you’ll get the idea just the same.

Be well…

Blast that East Coast time difference!! The leap year blog was written on Feb. 29th my time!! I'm not completely cracked...