My Afflation

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash Ok, I don't really need a reason, but with the one-year anniversary of " Safer at Home ", Pi Day, and St. Patrick's Day (in Boston no less) - it seems like there are a few good reasons in there.

Guess what?!? I am NOT doing a Whole 30 this year! This year we will be starting the year with Round 2 of a 21 Day Fix . After stuffing ourselves fuller than a Thanksgiving (or Christmas) turkey, we're kind of sick of food. Or at least rich foods. Y'all, I am craving arugula and brussels sprouts. Brussels Sprouts!!! via GIPHY

A few weeks ago, I may have mentioned a Costco run. We are still eating the chicken that I picked up. Thank goodness for a large freezer! So obviously, I have to get creative with the chicken prep this week. This might have been easier if I was doing a rubber chicken plan instead.

    Good news!  Losing weight! Very slowly. Bad news! Portion control sucks even when you are eating healthy but the food tastes damn delicious. That is one thing about this program that I like, the base recipes are pretty tasty and I can season to my heart's content.  via GIPHY

via GIPHY I mean honestly, how many times do I have to do this? You know, before I learn my lesson? And just stick to a maintenance way of eating? Stress so gets in the way.

Let's see, I've been home since Thursday, March 12, 2020. I last remembered to publish here ... on April 7 . It doesn't feel like more than a month. I mean, we've been eating on a regular basis. Every. Single. Night . And only eaten takeout a few times, less than a handful.  via GIPHY

CDC I'm giving myself a break, because y'all, just like you, I have no more room in my head. I have all the overwhelm.  via GIPHY Last week I decided to put in a Home Chef order and I thought it wouldn't get here until Friday. April 17, but I apparently updated it to arrive earlier, but I also went grocery shopping and filled up the freezer with meat and vegetables in case it was delayed. So now we have more than enough food and I can stop stressing about going to the grocery store for a week or more.

What'd You Say GIF from Vanessawilliams GIFs Week Three Formula: PMS + being "safe at home" (silver lining right) + nothing but rain and clouds for a few days = ultimate storm for emo-eating. Right now, I am going to give my body and brain what it craves. With some veggies thrown in just to keep things moving. And these Bulletproof gels . I've been taking them for a week now, maybe two... via GIPHY After a week, I can't give a definitive answer as to whether they are working for me or not. Have any of you tried them?

unsplash-logo Photo credit: ANDI WHISKEY on Unsplash So, here we are in Week 2 and I really should not be complaining . We have it relatively easy here in Massachusetts compared to other states and countries (as of Monday 3/23/2020 morning when I wrote this, who knows what it will be like tonight).

The times we live in ... This morning, I am already fighting outside induced boredom (so much nicer when I impose it on myself) and made some banana bread. Comfort food - FTW.  Paleo Banana Bread with Sunflower seed butter - allergen free

This week I decided to be brave and go to Whole Foods myself instead of having someone else do it. On a Sunday. I thought I had self-control and all that. The fact that 90% of the people in Whole Foods were shopping for other people made it a lot easier, a person couldn't even walk through the aisles! I had to keep parking my cart and maneuvering down aisles trying to find the things on my list. Bonus, I wasn't familiar with the layout, so it was most definitely not an efficient trip. via GIPHY

It’s January, and you know what that means. Whole 30 . I won’t bore you. My attitude towards it hasn’t changed, though, to be perfectly honest, I think I have deviated away enough from clean eating that I am feeling the difference now.

Yeah, the vegetarian kickstart didn’t go as planned. Completely derailed, but what else is new. I have finally admitted that I need to do meal prep for our different dietary needs/desires/my own personal sanity. I don't need to eat as often and he does to be on strict IF + Keto, and IP is gone for the next two months, so I can ease up on the FODMAP+ Paleo AIP side prep.   So … we’re (I'm)going to attempt meal prep this Sunday (guess who gets to clean the fridge first) and see how it goes. I’ve done it before with some success and much grumbling. Him, not so much, but I also don’t have an issue with food. I exercise so I can eat. I know that I love to eat and try new flavors (eating the same thing week in and week out will make me fall off sooner any "diet"faster than anything else), and I know when I am full and stop eating. My issues these days are hormone imbalance (birth control keeps me sane but also packs on the pounds) and lack of exercise plus a shitt...

While I was sick, for some reason,  I picked up " Eat to Live " off the food-related bookshelf and started reading again. What? I was home, sick, bored of daytime TV. Anyway, it got me thinking about how we have slipped so quickly from January Whole 30 to eating ... not so great. I was trying to figure out how to do 6 weeks of vegetarian just for myself (my cousin's wedding is coming up, and I am nowhere near my goal ).

I really hate being sick. I hate how it drains my energy, physical, mental, and emotional. Pretty sure I have yet another URI with a splash of tonsilitis or bronchitis (because I have never seemed to grow out of my "childhood diseases"). I spent most of last night propped up and coughing and really mad that my insurance won't kick in for 30 days, and really really grateful for Vick's , Luden's / Fisherman's Friend , Ricola , and honey packets .

This is a bit of a crazy week. I am finally employed again (YAY! I start today!), but I have a long commute (not so yay), out of the city and I don't think I will have time to grocery shop until I get a better lay of the land and my new schedule.

Sometimes it takes me a little bit to get back into the proverbial saddle. I planned for all of January, and most of February is in my Passion Planner , I just haven't gotten around to that final step of putting it on the blog. Lucky for you, I'm feeling extra motivated today, so here you go, this week's menu plan.

Hell Week. I mean month. Here we go, the reset . The fun part this time around, trying to make it work for three people, one who is on a restricted FODMAPS diet and has POTS symptoms. To be perfectly honest, as my daughter has pointed out, she has kept to mostly healthy snacks since arriving. The downside - she's already lost weight which means there will be clothes shopping in our future.

Well, color me surprised. An impression was made after doing the 3-Day Refresh . We feel a bit lighter and our brains aren't in total revolt anymore. We planned some of the meals out on the train yesterday, now I just need to go grocery shopping or have someone do it for me.

Unfortunately, not R.E.M nor Denzel related. I just don’t have enough time in the day to get things done. I need a few clones of myself. So here I am, taking a few minutes at the end of the work day, before I start my commute, trying to scramble on menu planning and debating the energy-draining thoughts of driving my commute, grocery shopping, and then cooking dinner.