The 4 Month Plateau

As all of you know I have been working out and eating healthy since a week after my son was born (and while pregnant, and before I got pregnant with little #2).  I lost a good amount of weight in the beginning, but most of that was water, and other goodness that comes with being pregnant with a big ol' baby.  I have participated in 2 6FIT sessions with DanceFIT Studio and continued my workouts 5-6 days a week for 2 hours a day.  I eat lots of kale and spinach, I cut down on my vino and ice cream consumption drastically.  I track my calorie intake on My Fitness Pal and I recently bought a FitBit.  Even with all of that, I have been in a major plateau for the past 4-5 months with at least 15 pounds left to shed until I am at a healthy weight.  I didn't put a lot of thought into the number on the scale because I was feeling healthy and I was gaining a lot of muscle. Which way to the gun show!  My cardio hasn't been at 100% because of my annoying knee issues...so maybe that was why?  Anyway, I was THRILLED when I finally broke the number on the scale by 1.5lbs about a month ago.  I haven't gained anything since, but haven't lost anything either.  Even to the most positive person, this can be extremely frustrating.  I want my pre-baby body back, please.

About a month ago, my husband and I were in a car accident and while I was at the doctor getting my whiplash-ed neck examined, I got a full check up.  I hadn't been since 2008...that is bad.  Too busy at the baby doctor 800 times a week for 3 years.  Anyway, they did a full range of blood work and when I got the results a week later, everything was normal EXCEPT my thyroid.  

Hypothyroid.  Sweet.  That would explain things right? The major system in my body responsible for making metabolism work properly...failed!  Thanks to my little big man, T, I have postpartum Hypothyroidism.  Supposedly, this will cure itself within a year after giving birth (3 months and counting...), but 50% of women who have postpartum hypothyroid will get permanent hypothyroidism later in life.  Cross your fingers this isn't me.  

There are a number of all natural things I can do to jump-start my thyroid, but there is also a pill I can take that supposedly helps too.  My inner all-natural self struggles.  

A lot of the natural things that can help hypothyroidism are already part of my life...

• Just say not to caffeine and sugar, including refined carbs.  Caffeine will be a tough one and probably the last thing I will try.  I really love coffee.  Sugar, on the other hand will be a bit easier as I have already started decreasing it's existence in my diet.  
• Eat lots of protein.  This is something i can definitely do, but find it more challenging than other dietary changes for some reason.  More quinoa?  Sure! 
• Drop the soy products.  I don't consume a ton of soy, but I do like soy in my coffee from time to time (add Almond Milk to your menu anytime, Starbucks).  I eat tofu once a month and I love edamame.  But that's about it.  I can do without.  Apparently it has an adverse reaction on a body's endocrine system.  Who knew? 
• Eat more healthy fats: avocados, nuts, EVOO, full fat dairy products.  Not getting enough GOOD fat and cholesterol fuels your thyroid to be less effective.  
• Get more nutrients through food.  Vitamin D, iron, omega-3's, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, B vitamins and iodine are all important to a properly functioning Thyroid gland.  When it comes to iodine; eat more sea vegetables/seafood, eggs, lima beans, asparagus, spinach and swiss chard instead of taking a supplement or using iodized salt- that is said to exacerbate your thyroid issue. 
• Cook your veggies!  A lot of the veggies that are said to help hypothyroid, can also work against you. "Goitrogens" are found in a lot of vegetables and aren't good for people with hypothyroid.  Cooking up your veggies will take the goitrogens out of them and you're good to go.  
• Stay stress free.  The thyroid gland is apparently sensitive to stress.  Relax.  Meditate.  Breathe.  
• Eat probiotics...a healthy tummy is essential to thyroid function.  
• Go Gluten Free.  Isn't this the answer to everything now-a-days? ;) 

I guess I have some work to do.  

While I am frustrated with the fact that I have been working my ass off to lose this baby weight once and for all over the past 9 months, I also have to be thankful of the healthy lifestyle I have chosen.  Not only will it make it easier to adjust to my new dietary needs, but working out and eating clean has also curbed a lot of weight gain.  I may be in the longest plateau ever, but at least the scale isn't going up.  

So, I'll keep truckin'...

Week One...and Done!

6FIT Week 1 is over!  I will admit, I really loved week one.  Cardio week, leafy greens week and water week...for me, they all went really well together.

I logged 10 miles of cardio: a hike with my daughter, double stroller hill torture runs, single stroller runs and finally a solo run yesterday where I broke a personal record and felt really proud of everything I accomplished in the past week.

Here I am after my final Cardio Week Run, sporting my DanceFIT Studio gear, of course!

I participated in 10 Virtual Skype classes, including a new class where I got to be a Rockette for 45 minutes--it was amazing!  Saturday was my rest day, and boy did I need it.  My muscles were sore and I felt physically exhausted.  It was a welcome day off.  I spent the day with my daughter...we went to see Elmo Live and then to a BBQ at my brother's house.  The weather was beautiful and it was just a great day.  My husband was away all week so it was jut me and the kiddos.  Surprisingly, I did OK...no major anxiety attacks and the babies behaved themselves (for the most part)...I feel like super mom!

As for water, I averaged about 75oz a day...I learned that when I wanted to snack, stop and sip some water first.  The phantom hunger went away.  What a concept! I will admit, there were a few nights that I realllly wanted a glass (or 3) of wine.  I went out with my girlfriends on Thursday and used the 80/20 rule.  I had a salad and some wine.  I resisted the fries and dessert.  It was a special treat.

My meals were FILLED with leafy greens.  Almost every single meal I ate last week contained at least 2 cups of spinach, kale or both.  I felt really healthy all week.

Here are a few pictures of my meals this week:

Salmon over quinoa and spinach with a side of broccoli 

BBQ Tofu/Kale/Quinoa Bowl

Shrimp, asparagus, zucchini over spaghetti squash

Last min meal:sauteed spinach, asparagus, pine nuts, spaghetti squash and chicken

Lettuce wraps with roasted chicken and tomatoes for lunch

Cardio Week might be over, but I have signed up for a training plan via Run Keeper so I am going to stick to my overall 6FIT goals that were set before I even started and get more cardio into my life.  Now I just have to get over my fear of running by myself in the morning!

Quinoa- The Super Food of All Super Foods

I was introduced to Quinoa about 3 years ago when it was "trendy"...everyone was eating it, talking about it, blah blah blah.  I read up on it, bought it and tried it.  First I just cooked it up and threw some frozen veggies into it...not good.  The next time I made it, I replace the typical brown rice we use for out chicken curry dish with it.  I warned my husband in advance and he promised he would try it and also not complain about it.  This is huge in itself.  Anyway, he didn't like it, but I thought it was OK with the curry.  Either way, I decided it was too annoying to prepare (rinsing it, letting it sit, 15 minutes to cook) and I just stopped using it.  When my first 6FIT rolled around in December of 2011, I tried it again.  This time, I looked up some recipes (which I will share with you below) and made it a point to love quinoa!  Even my daughter was eating quinoa in her prepackaged baby food.  Today I LOVE, am obsessed with, replace everything with quinoa.

Did you know that 2013 has officially been declared "The International Year of Quinoa"?  It must be good!

Here is a list of tips and tricks that I have found helpful for eating and preparing quinoa:

• Buy in bulk (if you can).  I buy a 2lb bag of quinoa at BJ's for $4.99.  In the regular grocery store, the same brand costs $5.99 for a 14oz bag.  No brainer.  
• Buy pre-washed.  This takes a lot of time out of prepping quinoa.  
• Make a big batch.  2 cups of quinoa and 4 cups of water will make a batch that will last about 5 days between myself and my daughter.  During 6FIT Quinoa week, I make more.  I literally put quinoa into everything so having it premade makes it really easy to add it to salads, sauteed recipes, etc. Also, most recipes called for cooked Quinoa but always double check.
• Replace pasta and rice with Quinoa.  I will admit, it took a while to get used to this.  My family does not eat a lot of pasta, and when we do we make a chili type sauce and put it over pasta so it is easy to replace.  We also eat a lot of veggie/chicken stir fry with brown rice.  Brown rice is not forbidden during bread/pasta week in 6FIT, but seeing as it coincides with Quinoa Week...go ahead and replace it! 

This is the brand I use (chubby baby legs are not included):

Want some details on the health benefits of Quinoa?  Go here:

Quinoa is great; here's why.

Ok so onto some recipes.  I usually keep it pretty simple, but I have been branching out lately.  

One of my go to recipes for lunch (or dinner) is roasted veggies over satueed kale and spinach with quinoa.  Roast veggies at 400 for 40 minutes (I like sweet potato, parsnips and brussel sprouts- toss in olive oil, salt/pepper and cayenne).  Saute the kale and spinach together in olive oil, salt pepper, cayenne (see a pattern here?) and stir in the cooked quinoa at the end. Serve together and voila! 

Pinterest is a fabulous place for Quinoa recipes and it's where I get most of mine.  I have linked my health recipes pinterest page as I am constantly pinning quinoa stuff! 

Below is a list of recipes I have tried and approved!  They are all links to where I got the original recipes.

Quinoa and Kale Patties  I posted this in the 6FIT page, but I just want to stress a few things.  Make sure that once the batter is mixed, it sits for a while- even 30 minutes.  It is still going to be really runny.  Try to form into a ball anyway.  Cook for 10-12 min medium heat on BOTH sides. These are so good.  I used them as breakfast cakes, in lettuce wraps for lunch and then again for breakfast sauteed in with my spinach.  

BBQ Quinoa/Kale Bowl.  So here is the recipe I base mine off.  I made it a lot easier though and substituted a few things.  First of all the BBQ tofu: I just tossed in BBQ Sauce and tobasco, baked for 30 min at 400 (tofu cut into cubes).  Instead of brown rice I used quinoa and instead of blackeyed peas, I used garbanzo beans.  So So good.  If you don't like tofu, you can use shrimp of chicken! It is very filling.  

Quinoa/Avocado/Corn Salad The recipe calls for soaking the quinoa overnight...here is where the pre-washed quinoa comes in handy.  You can omit that step all together.  

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl  One of my favorites.  My sister shared this recipe during winter 6FIT and it is absolutely delicious.  Note- This recipe calls for walnuts, so if you're allergic  it still tastes good without.  Just add more berries!

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers  I will not lie.  I don't follow a recipe for these, but the one linked comes pretty close to what I do.  I usually just stuff peppers with quinoa and steamed spinach, add some spices and bake them.  So good and 2 peppers lasts 2 days. 

I think those recipes should get you started on your journey to loving Quinoa! I wish I had tips of how to make kids like quinoa, but I don't.  It's just one of the things my daughter loves...she will eat it plain without spices too.  

Enjoy!