Wheat Belly: 12 Weeks In (+ T25)

It's been a while since I've updated on our healthy eating and exercise. The good news is that lack of blogging doesn't mean we've completely fallen off the wagon. We probably follow Wheat Belly guidelines about 85% of the time. There are many days we refrain from processed foods, refined sugars, and grains 100% of the time. There are also days where we are less strict and end up eating a graham cracker or cup of popcorn.

It seems misleading to contribute our progress through Wheat Belly alone, considering our exercise routine plays a large role in our weight loss. For the past eight weeks, Jesse and I have completed T25 workout videos every morning before the kids wake up. Though the videos are only 25 minutes, they are very fast-paced, high-intensity workouts. We completed the 5-week Alpha level and are in the middle of the 5-week Beta level.

I finally made progress pictures of our weight loss. I chose before pictures from January, which is when I was at my heaviest, even heavier than the day I delivered the trio. (I was also exclusively pumping for triplets at the time, so my boobs were huge!) I began my weight loss journey in January with the Super Foods challenge. Our diet did not radically change until mid-May, when we strictly implemented the Wheat Belly way of eating. Both Jesse and I began different exercise routines in May (P90X and 30 Day Shred) before beginning T25 together in late June. Here's our progress thus far:

We're not going to take any measurements until we finish the Beta round of T25, but here are a few numerical statistics:

Jesse stopped taking his Lipitor a few weeks ago. He had a cholesterol screening this week. His overall cholesterol increased, though his bad cholesterol decreased significantly and his good cholesterol also increased. He returns again in 3 months for a repeat screening.

	Standard Range	April 15, 2014	July 31, 2014
Triglycerides	0-149 mg/dL	241	75
HDL	>39 mg/dL	31	42
Cholesterol	100-199 mg/dL	212	225

We have both lost over 30 lbs each in the past three months, without counting a single calorie.

During the first month of Wheat Belly, I challenged myself to make a different dinner every night. I found this to be incredibly expensive and exhausting. Now that it has been a few months, we have some staple meals and go-to ingredients that we always keep handy. Instead of planning meals for the week and going grocery shopping, I go to the grocery store and buy what's on sale, then go from there. For a few weeks, I was only cooking dinner a few nights a week and we would have leftovers or smoothies for dinner. We both agreed that we are not as successful this way and I have resumed cooking dinner six nights a week. Here are some of our favorite meals:

Stuffed peppers (with cream cheese and chicken or ground beef and tomatoes)

Paleo cereal: nuts, berries, almond milk

Turkey and tomato lettuce wraps

Zucchini noodles (stir fry or pasta replacement)

Taco salad

Bunless burger with sweet potato fries

Tuna tomato melt with grilled asparagus

Salmon croquettes (WB Cookbook) with roasted broccoli

Pizza (cauliflower crust) with salad

Ricotta cheesecake (WB Cookbook)

Salmon, roasted broccoli, honey glazed carrots

Slaw, stewed cinnamon apples, grilled pork chops

Stir-fry (veggies, chicken, soy sauce)

Baked chicken, sweet potato, zucchini

A die-hard Wheat Belly follower would critique those meals (corn chips, soy sauce, mayonnaise, etc). In our first month, we refused to consume anything with modified food starch. We would have continued that if we could afford alternatives, but it was ridiculous making 18 ingredient barbecue sauce and paying more than double for nitrate free ham. I am well aware that we don't follow everything to a tee, but the way we are eating is very manageable and realistic for us to maintain.

Weight Loss Progress!

The photo on the left was taken on Christmas Day. I was 5.5 months post partum. I distinctly recall being horrified at this photo. Just a few weeks later I began eating "super foods", but my milk supply suffered. It has now been 7 weeks since following Wheat Belly way of eating and exercising daily. I have lost 27 pounds and am feeling significantly better. I made Jesse take the picture on the left yesterday at 11.5 months post partum. I am so motivated seeing the difference within six months. 

10.5 Months Postpartum

I had extreme difficulty finding maternity shirts that covered my stomach towards the end of my triplet pregnancy. I discovered that clingy dresses made perfect maternity shirts. I bought a few inexpensive dresses that I knew I would actually wear after my body returned to a decent size.

There was one dress in particular that I decided would be my "goal" dress. I hoped to be able to wear it after a year. It took me over six months postpartum to even attempt to lose weight. I didn't begin any real weight loss efforts until I stopped pumping at 9 months. 

I'm feeling a lot better about my body and decided to try on my dress today at 10.5 months postpartum. There's definitely some lumps I'd still like to minimize, ideally within the next six weeks. Overall, I feel pretty damn proud about how my body stretched to carry three humans, as well as how it is returning to a healthy shape.

What Belly: One Week In

I know I'm devoting a lot of blog posts to Wheat Belly, but it's a pretty drastic change in our way of eating. It's also the first time Jesse and I have committed to doing something about our health together (besides the brief juice fast). It's been a full week since we introduced a grain-free/sugar-free diet.

I completed Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout video six days this week. Jesse maintained his usual exercise routine (bicycling MWF, weightlifting T/Th).

I wanted anecdotal and numerical data to compare before and after 30 days of clean eating and exercising. Last Sunday we weighed ourselves and measured our arm, leg, neck, chest, waist, and hip. We took hideous body shots (front, side, and back). We also completed Dr. Oz's Toxicity Quiz. We will repeat everything after 30 days.

Quick notes from the week:

Withdrawal symptoms
Jesse: increased irritability, frequent hunger, constant cravings for cakes
Bonnie: sore and achy (likely more from exercise than diet), increased irritability after 4 pm, hunger until I started increasing fat intake, nauseating headaches

Favorite Meal:
Jesse: lemon-pepper chicken, honey glazed carrots, and sauteed zucchini and onions
Bonnie: salmon, roasted broccoli, and sweet potato fries

Favorite Snack:
Jesse: celery and almond butter
Bonnie: banana walnut pancakes (combine 1 egg, 1 banana, handful of walnuts)

Most Challenging Temptation This Week:
Jesse: not eating cakes (There were several cakes in teacher's lounge and at home.)
Bonnie: not binging on candy melts while decorating the graduation cake

Benefits:
Jesse: stopped taking medication for acid reflux, lost 10 lbs
Bonnie: no longer craving sweets (unless it is directly in front of me), lost 10 lbs

Weight Loss:
Jesse: down 10 lbs
Bonnie: down 10 lbs

Super Foods Update

It's been over two weeks since introducing my self imposed Super Foods challenge.  I've been able to consume at least ten different items on the list each day.  It has been easier than I expected, but has certainly required more intentional planning.  Grocery shopping and meal planning takes a bit more effort and expense.  We are no longer buying ice cream, cookies, chips, and other junk food items.  I've enjoyed experimenting with new foods and trying different recipes.

Here are some of our new favorite meals:

Pan-seared salmon, brown rice & black beans, and steamed broccoli

Roast beef, mashed cauliflower, steamed carrots, and green beans

Pork tenderloin, baked sweet potato, and roasted squash & zucchini

I try to fill half of my plate with vegetables, then a lean meat/protein, and healthier carb.  Lentils, quinoa, and brown rice have replaced macaroni and cheese, Texas toast, and mashed potatoes.  I try to cook a large, healthy dinner so that both Jesse and I can take the leftovers for lunch.  Jackson has eaten most everything Jesse and I eat, which is great. 

I use our newly purchased food processor (thanks, Aunt Marlette) at least once a day.  Its intended use was for making baby food, but I use it to make smoothies, mash sweet potatoes or cauliflower, and shred/slice veggies for salad.  Instead of ice cream I've been mixing a cup on nonfat, plain Greek yogurt with a cup of frozen berries and a tablespoon of flaxseed.  It's quite tasty!  I haven't been counting calories, but I did add up the nutrition facts for my berry smoothie.

280 calories, 28 g protein, 5 g fat, 10 g fiber

While I am proud of my progress, everything is not picture perfect.  My main meals are well balanced.  We no longer keep junk food in the house.  BUT, I can not kick this sweet tooth.  If I have the opportunity to eat sweets, I lose all self control.  I'm literally typing this while watching a cooking show where this Frenchman is baking a chocolate butter cake with rum cream sauce.  All I can think about is how I could adapt the recipe using current items in my pantry and bake it right this very moment.  My mouth is salivating.  Of course, it's more than just a desire.  Over the last two weeks I've managed to indulge in whoopie pies, chocolate molten cake, and free cookies from McDonalds.

There are times in the day where I am just plain hungry and feel desperate to eat anything.  My milk supply has decreased by 10-12 oz a day.  These factors make it difficult for me to decide if I should challenge my diet/exercise further and accept formula, or revert back to increased calories and resume my role as a cow.  For now, I don't plan on changing anything in regards to diet or exercise.  I will definitely need to get these sugar cravings and poor snack choices in check in the near future.

Super Foods

For over a year, I have not only been allowed, but encouraged to eat as much as I want.  When you're pregnant with triplets, there's no such thing as gaining too much weight. I had to force myself to drink protein shakes in attempts to get the babies to pack on the weight.  Seventy pounds later, I delivered over 18 pounds worth of healthy, full term babies. After the babies were born, I found myself having to eat even more to be able to breastfeed all three.  I began eating every 2-3 hours, even in the middle of the night.

The problem is that I made the wrong food choices.  Instead of eating lots of lean meats, whole grains, and fruits and veggies, I ate lots of ice cream, grilled cheese, pasta, and chicken nuggets.  Current daily staples of my diet include multiple lactation cookies, boxed mac-n-cheese, ice cream, chips/Ritz crackers, and chicken nuggets.  I've lost every sense of portion control because everything has been in excess. 

I decided around 4 months post partum that I would begin to diet and exercise when the babies turned 6 months old.  I wanted to wait until I reached my long term pumping goal because diet and exercise completely sabotaged my milk supply when Jackson was an infant.  I reached my goal yesterday, and also began a plan for healthier eating.

Prior to the six month mark, I had researched a lot of different diets.  None of them seemed to fit my needs or lifestyle.  I quickly dismissed any idea that would require money or time for meetings.  I have neither time nor money to spare!  I strongly considered following the Paleo Diet (aka "Caveman Diet") for 30 days.  I was even willing to give up grains, but not dairy or beans.  I'm still really intrigued by the concept and I've read A LOT about it.  It makes sense to me.  I just don't think I'd be a very happy person going from my current diet to Paleo.

I debated going on another 5 day juice fast, but decided that would completely jeopardize my milk supply.  I even read that the toxins released in your body during a fast would enter your milk which could have a negative impact on the babies. 

I contemplated joining SparkPeople again.  This was the website I used while training for the half-marathon.  It really helped me keep a good balance of fats, proteins, and carbs.  I really don't want to have to track, measure, calculate, enter foods, etc right now. 

I've lost weight on and off for many, many years.  I've paid thousands of dollars in Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, Nutrisystem, gym memberships, and personal trainers.  They all worked temporarily, until life got in the way.  Loved ones died, spiraling me into binge eating.  Of course the biggest reason for weight gain has been pregnancy and breastfeeding.  Now that my childbearing years are behind me, it's time to focus on a lifestyle I can sustain.

Here's what I know:

• My father died from a massive heart attack when he was 50
• My mother suffered with diabetes and kidney failure until she died at the age of 58.
• Jackson constantly begs for candy, fruit snacks, marshmallows, and ice cream.
• I will always enjoy baking and I will always have a sweet tooth. 
• Our pantry and freezer are full of JUNK!
• Breastfeeding/pumping burns 20 calories per ounce.  I currently pump around 85 ounces a day, which means I burn 1700 calories a day simply by pumping. 

Here's what I want:

• I want to live into my 60's or 70's or maybe even 80's.  If I die when I'm 50, I'll be leaving behind a 25 year old son and three 23 year olds. 
• I want to set a positive example for my children.  I want them to request healthy snacks and meals, because that's all they know.
• I want to create memories in the kitchen with my family while cooking and baking.  BUT I want to be able to do so without "sampling" half of the batter or icing.
• I want to limit the junk and fill the pantry with healthy, satisfying options.
• I want to retrain my taste buds, stomach, and mind to crave different foods. (I remember after the juice fast thinking that a strawberry was the sweetest thing I had ever eaten.)
• I want to continue providing breastmilk as long as possible for James, Amelia, and Madeline.

Here's what I plan to do:

I stumbled upon this article on 100 Super Foods and read through the list.  I sadly realized I rarely eat more than 3-4 of the items on the list per day.  I wanted to come up with a way to incorporate more of the foods on the list.  I copied the list into a word document, made some minor revisions, printed it on cardstock, laminated it with clear packing tape, and hung it on our pantry door.  My current goal is to eat a serving of at least 10 different foods each day.  I use a dry-erase marker to check off each food as I eat it.  The next day I erase the marks and start over. 

I like this idea because it gives me lots of flexibility and choice.  There are plenty of delicious foods to choose from, and some that I've never even heard of.  I also like having a constant visual reminder.  I can't open the pantry door (aka "gateway to processed foods") without looking at the list.  It forces me to be conscious of my food choices.  I can eat pizza or ice cream if I want to, but I still have to consume ten super foods per day.  I plan what foods I will eat the night before so that I'm not stuck trying to eat a stalk of broccoli and an orange at 8 pm. The best news is that because many of the listed foods are rather filling, I'm finding that even though I want cookies and ice cream, I'm not hungry.  And surprisingly, a strawberry smoothie made with plain Greek yogurt and flaxseed tastes just as good, if not better, than ice cream.

I intend on increasing my daily number of foods goal until my diet consists of mostly (or only) these items. Of course, this list is not the end-all, be-all.  I've already been disappointed to discover that pomegranate and zucchini are not on the list.  (I'll probably add them anyway.)  I don't want to restrict myself or ever feel like I'm not allowed to eat something that I want.  It's completely irrational and unfeasible to expect myself to never eat desserts again.  Though I should probably discontinue purchasing a gallon of neapolitan a week, eh?

At this time, I do not have any exercise goals set.  We basically have a home gym upstairs with a spin bike, gazelle, and weights.  Once I feel like healthy eating is becoming a habit, I'll introduce regular exercise into my daily routine.  Until then, I need to focus on what will give me the most energy and feel my best.