Makeover - Day 5

Welcome to the halfway point of my 10-day Challenge! I slept much better last night and closed my evening with another small bowl of oatmeal, strawberries, lemon zest, stevia, and soy milk. Such a tasty combo! Woke at 6:00am feeling rested and ready for my 'weekend' and day one of vacation! I fly to sunny, lovely San Diego this afternoon for a two-day resort retreat. I have finished prepping the bulk of my food for the stay (pictured prior to packing in my carry-on) and learned that two restaurants at my hotel offer raw vegan salads, I may dive into those!

My weight is holding at 145 - demonstrating how I maintain a steady weight with my fitness routine and meal plan. You may have noticed I eat well, I eat often, and focus on starches like potatoes, grains, beans, corn, rice, and breads.

Weight day! 6:30am: my 90-minute routine of cardio on treadmill, free weights, abs, and stretching. Began with a cup of black/green tea with stevia and soy milk and a cup of coffee with stevia.

Breakfast 9:00am: plate of hash browns with hot sauce and sea salt + 1/2 c quick oats cooked and topped with strawberries, lemon zest, stevia, and soy milk. Notice a pattern? I have favorite breakfast items that are simple for me to prepare, filling, nutritious, and tasty!

Heading to the airport soon for my San Diego 2-night retreat, Made another quick plate of hash browns, once cucumber sliced, and diced peaches for lunch at 1:00pm. Snack on the plane was a multi-grain bagel and apple.

Posting this on day 6 since WOW...is the Paradise Point resort an amazing place! Flight problems leaving Salt Lake got me out of town a bit late since a mechanical error delayed things and required a change of planes. Ugh! Had a late dinner in my room: baby carrots, baked chips, brown rice with corn/black bean medley, and a roasted yam. Snacked on rice cakes while I wandered. Will post pictures later!

Makeover Challenge - Day 4

Welcome! I paid dearly for my caffeine infused tea at lunch yesterday...didn't fall asleep until 2am! My day off splurge reminded me that my system cannot handle caffeine very well. Woke at 7am today feeling sluggish - my black/green tea and treadmill duo jump started my heart and boosted my spirits. Endorphin rush in hand, I headed to a local park (Memory Grove for any Utah peeps) and hiked for half an hour. The blooms, honeysuckle and lilac perfumed the air and further raised my mood. Weighed in at a steady 145 - time to up my game for any further weight loss this week!

Workout 8:00am: 30-minutes on the treadmill, 2.6 speed and 10 incline + 30-minute trail hike.

Breakfast 10:00am: Oatmeal (1/2 c dry) topped with 4 large strawberries, lemon zest, stevia, and soy milk. Plate of water fried hash browns with hot sauce and sea salt.

Lunch 1:00pm: Due at work soon and needed a bit more sustenance to hold me over. Duplicated my oatmeal & strawberries meal from breakfast...so tasty! Added an ACV tonic and a Roma tomato.

Snack/Dinner graze sack: Packed 4 small roasted Yukon golds with mustard and relish packet, an apple, one banana, veggie bag (1/2 red pepper, 2 carrots, 1/2 cucumber), jam sandwich (Jack Spratt bread with 2 T. fruit only raspberry spread), and a steamed brown rice (1/3 c.) topped with frozen corn/black bean medley (1/2 c.). I'll dine my way through these items between client appointments later today.

Also, I fly out for a 2-night relaxation getaway to lovely San Diego tomorrow afternoon (mega stress management!) and am food prepping for my trip. Traveling with most of my own food saves money, time, and is an investment in good health. I stay at the Paradise Point Resort; my Lanai room has a small fridge and coffee maker so eating in and/or poolside will be a snap. So far I have put together oatmeal bags and lemon zest for breakfast (have 2 pints of blueberries for topping), 2 packets instant grits, steamed brown rice, apples, raw veggies (baby carrots, red pepper, cucumbers, green pepper), 3 large roasted yams, and 6 roasted Russets. I will fill in at the resort with salads and other vegetable dishes as needed. Keep an eye on the next few posts for photos!

Makeover Challenge - Day 3

Welcome! Closed my evening fairly early last night...began nodding off around 8:30pm while watching my favorite Friday night programming 'Svengoolie' - Earth vs The Flying Saucers. Love old B-grade sci-fi! Was still a bit hungry after my tapas dinner of guacamole/salsa/chips so I had another 1/2 c of oatmeal topped with 1/4 c diced peaches, soy milk, and stevia. Slept steady from 11:00pm to 5:50am. Another win for me! Started the morning with black tea as shown on day one plus another cup of coffee while I worked out. Weight held at 145 which was great considering heavier foods such as nuts and avocado the day prior. I don't often mention beverages since I drink so much water (1-2 gallons) throughout the day; I tend to not drink with my meals.

Weight day! 7:00am: See day one for a breakdown of my 90-minute cardio/weight/abs/stretching routine.

Breakfast 9:00am: 1/2 c. quick oats cooked with frozen dark cherries (8); topped with soy milk and stevia.

Lunch 12:00pm: Large tossed salad (greens, tomato, cucumber, celery, corn/black bean mix) topped with dressing made with 2 T Amazin' mayo - 2 T reen salsa - 1 T lime juice. Arnold Palmer Zero to drink.

Movie & Snack Time 2:00pm: Made fat-free popcorn in my microwave using 1/2 c. white popcorn in brown paper bags. Spritzed with water and seasoned with fine ground sea salt. Also took a treat cup - 1 T dark vegan chips + 1 T raisins + 1 T chopped pecans.

After the movie (saw Isle of Dogs - amazing film!) I did my grocery shopping for the week and had an apple as an extra snack on the way home, 4:00pm.

Dinner 6:30pm: Potatoes (3 roasted Russets) & mushroom gravy, see day one for recipe link. Steamed broccoli (1/2 c) and 1 quart strawberries for dessert. Yum! Finishing the evening with my ACV tonic about an hour or so before bed. Kicking back and watching PBS for relaxation and stress management tonight. :)

Makeover Challenge - Day 2

Welcome back! Day 1 ended well for me, my shift ended a bit early getting me home by 9:00pm and into bed earlier than usual. Slept through the night (an amazing and rare experience!), woke at 5:50am. I typically weigh daily and noticed a .6 pound loss...nice start! Two additional aids that helped yesterday was applying an ice pack to my neck and shoulders after work, using Epsom gel on my low back and knees, and had 10 minutes in the massage chair during my shift.

Day 2 is another work day for me; my shift runs 8:30am - 3:00pm today. Began with 2 cups of coffee (caffeine is a nemesis I am working to rid myself of) adding stevia and non-dairy sweetener. No gym today...with the lovely weather upon us I plan to take a long walk after work.

Breakfast 7:00am: Hash-browns with hot sauce and dash of sea salt (one of my favorite and most filling breakfasts!). 8:21am - ACV tonic (see yesterday)

Lunch/Snacks to graze on throughout my work shift: Leftover mashed potatoes topped with mushroom gravy, an extra roasted Russet with mustard packet, and a cucumber sandwich made on Jack Spratt fat free bread topped with Amazin' Mayo - dill - cayenne - dash of sea salt. Added 4 dried apricots and some raw almonds I snagged at work.

Dinner 1 & 2: Clients kicked my butt today - 2 deep tissue and a 90-minute stone so no long walk for me, left work ready to relax! 4:00pm stopped at Harmon's for small salad bar (greens, sweet yellow pepper, watermelon radishes, beans, red onion, carrots, cucumber, topped with balsamic vinegar), wedge of artisan sour dough and bananas (saved one for tomorrow). 5:30pm 1/2 c homemade guacamole topped with fresh salsa and 5 baked tostadas.

Makeover Challenge - Day 1

Welcome! Today begins my 10-day challenge implementing my Soothe - Nourish - Rest tips, resources, and tools. For those who are skeptical of a plant-based way of eating or making health and lifestyle changes while managing chronic disease, and especially for any post-menopausal gals who are having a tough time managing their weight...these 10-days will educate and ideally inspire you!

My goals are to decrease weight (remember than even an extra 5 pounds adds 25 pounds of pressure to joints), decrease inches, improve the quality of my sleep, and decrease pain. I am 53 years old, 5'7" and begin this challenge at 145.6 pounds, waist = 30", hips = 37.25", right thigh - 21.5", left thigh 21.75". My ideal weight is 130 pounds; up until October of last year I was holding steady at 134 pounds until I moved away from hormone therapy and experienced a weight gain.

Check back daily to view meals, exercise log, stress and pain management techniques, and other tips. I'll share my final results on May 14th! Have questions or comments? Feel free to email me: tiffany@andersontherapeutics.com

Morning - Slept fairly late for me since I worked until 9:30pm last night. Up at 8am and started with black tea, oat milk and stevia.

Gym: Weight day, and for me a great pain & stress management tool! Exercise provides me with energy, stamina, strength, and manages pain. Began a 90-minute workout at 8:30am with 30-minutes on the treadmill, 2.6 MPH at a 10 incline. Final hour consisted of upper body weight training (used free weights to work all large muscle groups), planks for core strength, and finished with stretching. I've been lifting weights 3x per week for over 23 years - if you are new to strength training, start slow...contact me for coaching options! Basic 101 guide to strength training can be found here.

Brunch 11:00 am: Large serving of hash-browns (1/2 bag frozen store brand) pan cooked in 2 T. water served with hot sauce and dash of sea salt. Quick oats (1/2 c) with frozen dark cherries (1/4 c) topped with splash of oat milk (1/8 c.) and stevia.

Tonic 1:00 pm: I've mentioned the health benefits of apple cider vinegar in past posts - learn more about this amazing ingredient here. To 1 cup cold water I add 1 T of Bragg's ACV. Benefits I notice are decreased inflammation, aids digestion, and reduces sugar cravings.

Snack/Dinner: I work a mid-afternoon (2:30pm) to evening (9:15pm) shift today so I nibble my way through the contents of my lunch sack between client appointments. Grazing works better for me than 3 main meals, especially as my work hours vary. For the rest of the day I'll dine on a leftover rice dish (brown rice, lentils, taco seasoning, salsa, cilantro, my vegan 'cheez' sauce, and guacamole), a roasted Russet potato, raw vegetables (1 carrot, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 red pepper, 1 radish), homemade red pepper hummus (1/3 c), and a pumpernickel bagel (not pictured) that I picked up from Einstein's on the way to work.

Notice I don't count calories - that is one of the many pleasures of a plant based diet. Following The Starch Solution means I focus on starches (potatoes/rice/corn/beans/grains), plants, and most importantly...avoid oil. Eating whole foods that are nutrient dense and typically lower in calories means that I can eat until I am comfortable (not stuffed!) and feel satisfied.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

May 10-day Makeover!

Tribe Members learned in their monthly newsletter that beginning May 4th I am inviting you to join me in a 10-day Soothe - Nourish - Rest challenge (have you a subscribed yet to my newsletter?) . Daily I share my tips, resources, and tools in my wellness blog as I strive towards specific health goals. Care to join me?

Check back tomorrow - daily posts begin May 4th and results achieved will be shared May 14th.

Be Well! ~ Tiffany

Successful Living = Graceful Aging

A life motto of mine has been to 'Work hard, play hard, drop dead'. This may sound a little grim for some though I interpret this statement as thriving in my career, living life to the fullest, and to end my lifetime quickly (ideally with little to no pain and little disease). To age gracefully I follow the advice outlined on my website; I rest, eat extremely well, and manage my health with soothing therapies such as exercise, acupuncture, sunshine, fresh air, and bodywork.

The chronic diseases I live with are manageable. I accept the quirks and unique aspects of my health such as living with artificial joints. I have limitations...we all do, especially over time, and I do the best I can with the body I have by respecting and caring for it. There are always ways to improve your lifestyle, diet, and mindset. The outcomes can be profound. 

Live Well & Be Well! ~ Tiffany