Do not miss these encores of the Paleo Summit for great info if you have 1. cholesterol issues and/or 2. gluten or autoimmune issues

Okay! So happy there's an encore, as I was busy the day Chris's interview was up and I missed it! These encores may only be up for a matter of hours, so go listen. Go, now!

So, why am I so eager to hear Chris? Well, I've got high LDL. I am also not euthyroid, and my thyroid going bonkers is probably part of this problem. We'll see once I'm euthyroid.

A lot of folks doing Primal, Paleo, low-carb, or high fat diets like to dismiss high cholesterol (like high LDL, which is not so rare on this type of eating),  because HDL and Triglycerides tend to become amazing eating this way. For this reason, it's good to hear what Chris has to say.

Chris Kresser on cholesterol
description:

The cholesterol hypothesis has its staunch proponents as well as its skeptics. So who’s right? Chris presents the latest research demonstrating why elevated cholesterol scores should not be dismissed by the skeptics. He also explains why a high cholesterol score is not always cause for a prescription.

Presentation Correction: The ideal total cholesterol:HDL ratio should be between 3 – 4. A ratio of 2 would be too low. (Submitted by Chris Kresser)

I plugged Dr. Tom O'Bryan's interview on gluten last week. I'm plugging it again. Very much worth listening to.

Description:

The most basic Paleo Diet recommendation is the removal of gluten. But did you know that gluten sensitivity goes well beyond the digestive tract? Dr. O’Bryan reveals the latest research on how gluten consumption may lead to autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, and muscle pain without digestive symptoms.

If you are a science person, seems like you can easily skip the third encore lecture by Dr. Jack Kruse on leptin circadian cycles. Or read the critique and overview here and decide. Note, there is a lot of sarcasm and scoffing at bad science, so if that's something you're very sensitive to, there ya go. It's also really funny in a snarky way.  
Evelyn also critiqued Doc's blog post that coincided with his paleo interview date. 

E2E Challenge Update #9: Working on not getting frustrated, for real, and focusing on the joy of "the now" and the DRESSES. (with pics)

Today:
Tanita-san: 180.2
Waist: 34.75

Last Sunday:
Tanita-san: 181.4
Waist: 35

This should be happy for me, cause it's 1.2 less than the last update. But I'm just passing down old territory where I've passed up and down, and up and down, for months. It's not virgin territory until 177.2. That's the number that says, "Oh, we're moving again."

I was lower in the week (as my Vlogs attest) so it's particularly frustrating.

Fluids: fine
Exercise: completed strengthening goals. Fell short on cardio goals.
Mood: improved. Sleep, too.
Support: I exceeded the minimum. :) I've kept in bloggy contact with my challenge buddy, too.
Dress: Not time to try again.
Book: Only been reading WILLPOWER INSTINCT from the ones I'm doing for challenge. At this point, I need to engage my brain to break through this maintenance thing I have going that my body is loving. I keep the faith that normalizing my thyroid will be the thing to change up this game...but I know in the meantime, I have to not get so frustrated I do stupid food things. And I have been known to do stupid food things if I start to lose heart. So, no heart-losing.

Sometimes, you just have to be happy at your progress and not obsess over future progress. I've come to realize this. That enjoying THIS part of the journey is not a sin. Being here is not bad. Yes, I want to be in a lower number. Very much so. But not so much that I have that burning for it, like when I was over 200 or even just over the "obese" line, and had this mighty impetus to get off high blood pressure pills, not get diabetes, improve mobility (which being obese, mobility stucks), and saving what was left of my lower extremity joints from the abuse of such weight....

Now, it's about improving health MORE and that bit of the vanity that wants to look slimmer, though, at my age, a "hot dish" is not something I can be. But I do find a huge satisfaction in wearing dresses again (which for a nearly a couple decades had been a no-go).

I think if there is ONE thing that will help me maintain my loss, other than those health issues that were my main driving force to lose...it's how happy I feel wearing dresses again. You have NO idea how ridiculously giddy I get putting on a dress and working the girly mojo. I used to mostly exclusively wear skirts and dresses back in the day...and when i worked. But since I'm an apple/avocado type, when I got big, dresses made me feel like one big weird huge ball of fabric. And with my ankles getting huge, I didn't like my legs sticking out of skirts or dresses. So, I defaulted to pants. STRETCH PANTS, as fat apple types have a hard time with jeans/zippered pants.

But looking nice again in dresses is PRICELESS. I didn't even envision this as being one of the more satisfying parts of this journey, although I did focus on the idea of being able to cross my legs (that was a great day when I could).

But there it is: The joy of the dress.

And here's the dress I wore to that post resort dinner last Sunday:

I love wrap dresses, but I need a contrast
color to define the waist better. I actually LOOKED
slimmer than in the pic, believe it or not.

Legs look good, right? Though this
posture is dorky.

Exercise made my legs (aside from the awful sagging skin on the thighs) look shapelier and good, so dresses...bring them on! I have ankles again and from the knee down, my legs rock.

Anyway, focus on what is good NOW about what you've done for yourself when the times when losing is extra hard or frustrating takes hold. You made progress. Enjoy it. Celebrate it. Hold onto it until the next phase blooms. Enjoy the NOW in the journey, and look forward to the THEN, which is so different from the WHAT WAS.

One day, these daily joys, that are novel NOW, may be what helps you maintain when the hunger monsters return.

Always find the thing to celebrate.

And be well...

Try Walking...if you haven't. Trust me, it's good for you in so many ways! (yet another vlog)

E2E Challenge: Midweek Update #9 --VLOG edition

I had had a lot of coffee, as you will soon see! Music in background: IONA, my fave Christian fusion music band. I had gotten back from Pilates and had to redo my update, as the one I did originally yesterday would NOT upload to Youtube. Dunno why. I'm a teeny bit wheezy (the darn mango blossoms get to me).

Here we go:

"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success." 

~Maxwell Maltz

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)