Yumminess and 101

Today was the first day of my UltraMetabolism Prescription. Phase I is a three week detox, avoiding dairy, eggs and gluten, and focusing on whole foods. I was hungry most of the day, so I know I have to make some adjustments tomorrow, especially with breakfast. I'm used to filling, fatty, high carb breakfast sandwiches so the smoothie I made was a big change.

For breakfast I made the Berriest Smoothie recipe from the UltraMetabolism book. Super yummy! With these super hot days we're having right now, this will be a pretty common breakfast!


For a snack at work I had an orange and some almonds. After work I had an apple and almonds, and later on a banana.


Lunch was the White Beans on a Bed of Greens recipe from the book. Donnie even tried some and liked it!


Dinner was super yummy. I made the Wile Salmon with Rosemary, Sweet Potatoes and Lemon Asparagus recipe, minus the asparagus. The recipe called for dry mustard, which I couldn't find, so I used dijon mustard. So good! Donnie really liked it, too, and said he'd definitely want it again.


I knocked another letter for my 26 movies off of my list today. We watch S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale. It wasn't as good as Donnie Darko, but still weird and interesting. So, 2 letters down, 24 to go!

Grocery Shopping and New Diet Plan

Tomorrow I'm starting the UltraMetabolism Prescription. I decided to skip the 1 week preparation as I didn't feel it was necessary for myself. I think it's a great idea to have people ease into no caffeine/sugar/high fructose corn syrup/pre-packaged foods, but I don't have problems with most of that stuff and I really wanted to just get started on the plan, as I had originally planned to start the preparation last week. I did a big grocery shopping trip today at Trader Joe's. I haven't been there in over a year and was so excited to go. I had picked out a few recipes from the book and was bummed that TJ's didn't have everything I needed. It's okay, though, I got alot of great stuff and am really excited for the yummy meals I'll be making over the next three weeks! I will say, though, I can't wait for the three weeks of this Phase I detox to be over! I'm already missing my eggs, cheese and pasta! I'm really excited to see how my body responds to this new way of eating. I'm obviously hoping for some great weight loss, but I'm also really hoping to find a healthy and natural fix for my insulin resistance. I will be using my blog as a daily journal to keep track of how I'm feeling and such. I will also post pictures and recipes. For all of my PCOSers out there, I'm really hoping I have found a new lifestyle that will get my body working how it is supposed to, PCOS be damned!

My 365 Do-over

I didn't really think that taking a picture a day for a year would be that difficult. I was wrong. I did great the first few days, mainly because I was actually out of my routine a bit, doing more than just going to work and coming home. So I realized I missed a few days. Not wanting to lie to myself about a challenge I chose to do, I'm starting over. I now have a new Day 1 and Day 2 photo and my new 365 Project started July 2, 2010. I *will* do this!

Only 99 Left!

So, today marks the day that I was FINALLY able to mark an item off on my 101 in 1001 list! And I actually get to mark off TWO things! Woo hoo!!!! I had to run to Office Depot during work today and picked up a 26 folder file case - with a handle! So, when we got home from work I sat down and made a list of all of the bill/paperwork categories I could think of, wrote out the labels and labeled the folders. Then I collected all of the bills and paperwork and put them away. Super lame and simple, I know, but everything I filed away was so scattered around the house, so it's really nice to finally have it all organized! I'm feeling such a sense of accomplishment and responsibility. For the first time in my adult life I'm able to pay all of my bills, and I'm so excited!

The second item I can check off is buying a washer and dryer! I just bought a set from a friend's estate sale at her mom's. We'll be picking them up tomorrow! I'm overly giddy about the idea of being able to do laundry at HOME tomorrow night! I haven't been able to do that in over a year. It's another small thing, but I'm thrilled.

I'm really loving working on this list. While these two items were tiny, they're things that needed to be done, that will help me in other areas and really give me a sense of accomplishment. Little things like this can be easily overlooked, so it's nice knowing that I knew something needed to be done and I did it. GO ME!

2 down, 99 to go!

A Start on my 101

A couple of days in and I finally got a start on my 101 in 1001 list! One of my goals is to watch 26 movies I've never seen to cover the letters of the alphabet. Today I watched Julie & Julia, taking care of J - only 25 left!

I almost checked off "visit a place in Michigan I've never been" after my trek to the Kalamazoo area last night, but I didn't feel right about it, because I didn't really visit. I drove there, spent about 20 minutes at the school and drove home. It's okay, though, because we are planning a weekend camping trip up north for the middle of July! I plan on taking care of a few things on my list that weekend!

Also, I've finally gotten the first pictures in my 365 Project posted under the tab at the top of the page. Loving this challenge! Now I just need to find the cord for my camera so I can take even better pictures!!

Julia Child and Infertility

I'm enjoying a lazy Monday off after a busy weekend by watching Julie & Julia (for my 101 in 1001). I was filled a sense of....pride? when I found out that Julia Child and her husband, Paul, were unable to have children. I think part of my problem when going through my own battle with infertility was that I had always seen myself as a mother, and when I had to accept that this dream may never come true, I felt empty. What was my purpose in life now? But for some reason, knowing that Julia Child dealt with something I'm dealing with, and didn't even publish a cookbook until she was 49...well, it really helps me realize that I have time. Maybe I won't be a mom, but by focusing on my passions, my dreams WILL come true. Maybe not tomorrow, or in five years, maybe it won't be for another 20 years, but the key is to never give up yourself or your passions, even when one or two dreams prove incapable of fulfillment.

I will NOT let PCOS control my life. I will control my PCOS to the best of my ability and I will live MY life. I will not dwell on the bad cards I have been dealt in life, but instead will focus on the many blessings and the things I love. My PCOS was not given to me as an impediment to my living a happy and fulfilling life, but as a challenge.

I wanna go buy Mastering the Art of French Cooking now! Here's to you, Julia Child. A woman who simply did what she loved, reached her goals in her own way, and left her mark on the world.

I'm Still Here!

I feel like I've abandoned the blog a bit. Not sure why. But, I have lots to add now! I just finished an awesome book, Ultra-Metabolism, and will be starting a lifestyle change (NOT a diet!) using the tools in the book next week. I will be posting more about that. I'm also reading about the 101 in 1001 challenge and the 365 Project, both of which I plan to start. So, lots of good stuff coming in the next week.

I've also decided to broaden the focus of my blog to not just PCOS but life in general. I'm realizing just how much the two are related, and I want to make sure I keep that connection in my mind. So, look for a new blog name and description coming soon!