PMS Prevention?

These are the most interesting sections of an article from a Real Yoga NY blog regarding the use of Ayurveda on female hormonal issues:

N: What are some of the general rules that we can follow to prevent PMS from happening?


V: As a general rule, diet is very important 1 week before the cycle. Try to avoid anything too cold, salty, refined sugar, and caffeine. Your diet should contain mostly warm and nourishing light dishes. Cooked and semi-cooked vegetable and lots of fruits is always good, just make sure not to mix them in one meal. It is best to follow your regular routine without adding anything new or extreme to your lifestyle. So if you exercise regularly, keep exercising at the same level of intensity, no need to significantly reduce or intensify the routine. Also, aim for a good restful sleep, it will keep Vata at bay. One last important thing to keep in mind is your digestion. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to detoxify your body.

Sounds like good solid advice in general. I know that this month, my PMDD (PMS on steroids) is much milder... even manageable. The only reason I can think of for that is maybe the 8 to 10 hours of sleep I've been getting, the diet shift (no processed food and little or no preservatives), and yoga every day. I've only been observing those rules for a week as of today though. Could it have made such an obvious difference so quickly? Maybe I'm just happier...?

N: If a woman experiences severe PMS symptoms what can be done to alleviate them? You mentioned that there are some yoga asanas and breathing that Ayurveda can prescribe to fight off different ailments. What works during PMS?

V: Vajrasana or Thunderbolt pose is good to keep digestion healthy and prevent PMS symptoms. 
Vata types should focus on keeping their internal warmth. Sun Salutations, forward bends, child’s pose, and Rabbit are good asanas for Vata type PMS. They can also add alternative nostril breathing and Bhramri or Bramari (Bumble Bee) breath. 

Pitta types will benefit from side stretches that will reduce frustration and help create more space and openness; Cobra, Bow, and Camel poses. Pitta’s PMS yoga routine should start and end with a long Savasana to release all the tension and bring the attention internally. They should avoid Sun Salutations during this time and do a cooling Sheetali Breathing .

I don't know much about the Ayurvedic body types. I looked into Ayurveda a few years back, read up a bit, and then slipped away from it. It seemed like something that was not even practiced commonly by people from India. A "spooky" fringe thing that is easy for easterners to sell to westerners. It may deserve a closer look again. I know that the herbs recommended are also backed by a lot of other health schools of thought, so maybe there is more to it than I gave it all credit for.

N: You mentioned that Ayurveda uses a lot of spices to alleviate certain health issues. What works for PMS or other common problems?

V: Turmeric, coriander, and fenugreek are special women-friendly PMS fighting herbs that can be added to cooking or to tea, if you don’t mind a bitter taste. They have a calming and warming effect on the body and mind, promoting healthy digestion and stress-release.

Check out the whole article here...

Haven't lost any more weight this week that I can tell. My body feels much firmer though. I can tell by the touch, which is interesting. My muscles are waking up and it feels really good. The yoga is also putting me in very close touch with my body. For example, I had family visiting yesterday so I made a special dinner including free-range, grass-fed beef steaks, a salad with my own very low cal dressing, and a fresh, semi-raw tomato soup made from scratch from farmer's market produce purchased that day. Oh... and a home made apple pie sweetened with honey. It was all extremely fresh and delicious. I didn't over eat. In fact, with the steak, I was so full after eating very little. And I didn't have any pie.

Today in my morning yoga, I feel like there is a brick still sitting in my stomach. The beef is clearly not done digesting. I don't feel sick or anything, but I do feel heavy and a bit sluggish in my yoga. I probably wouldn't notice if it wasn't for yoga being my daily constant, but it puts an excellent spotlight on all things physical.

My shoulders are looser.
I had the best down dog today ever. My back even cracked a bit... it felt soooo good!
My neck and calves are a bit tight.
My tummy feels heavier from the inside.

It's very interesting.

I do feel good though. Thank you yoga for being my line of communication with my body! <3

Love you all!<3

Yesterday's Food, Today's Yoga

Sept. 30
NUTRITION TOTALS:

Total Cal.:	1656.66	Total Fat:	79.44	Total Cholesterol.:	885.17
Total Sodium:	3927.15	Total Carbs:	90.87	Total Fiber:	19.56
Total Sugar:	5.56	Total Protein:	148.36	Total Water:	6.83
Total Points:	0.00

I love this app. :) (Weightmania Pro)

Only got around 7 hours of sleep last night. I'm supposed to do better. But yoga went well today. I'm already so much better at getting deep into the poses and actually have the energy to power through it. I'm doing the P90X Yoga X every day for a month. I know you're supposed to vary the workout but this is just while I get into my routine, so I dont really have to think about it. Keep things predictable for the next 3 weeks while I adjust to this new life approach. It's all good. Doing this every day for now has helped me progress pretty quickly. It feels great!

I still haven't been able to fit weight training into my day, and have only added cardio in a couple times. I guess I'll just do what I can. In any case, the ashtanga yoga is the biggest calorie burn for the day anyway, so of course that matters the most to me. :)

Ok, well, on with the day. <3

Still Here With Bells On And A New Plan

Can't help coming here. I've kept journals since I was a little girl and this is my most active journal and pretty much my home since April. It's mine, and I see no reason not to continue working things out, thinking and talking on here.

Sam, it's nice to know that I've been helpful somehow. :) What I'm doing now is probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I have diet guidelines that are pretty much what I've always advocated but never done.

Kazehana, your comment about the fight with Jae (the hubby) was dead on. That is exactly what he was trying to do. Fighting is definitely shitty. I feel a bit farther away from him each time we fight and it takes time for me to get closer again. But he did not ask me to starve and he put me on the spot this time. "I never wanted you to starve. If you did it for me, does this mean you'll do something else if I ask you to? Can I give you a plan that I do want you to do?" And I said yes.


Elle & Jae's Continued Weight Loss Plan

No need to be hungry. Eat for performance. Food as fuel, not for fun.

Diet

• 60% vegetables (as often as desired, no roots)
  
• 30% meat (preferably fish and skinless chicken)
• 10% fruit (specifically banana 30 min before cardio workouts)
• No dairy for now, and no grains.
• No preservatives.
  
• No supplements.
  

Water

• 2 glasses of water before each meal, paced if necessary
• water with workouts
• stay well hydrated

Workouts

• An hour of Yoga (he recommended the one from P90x)
• 20 minutes of intense cardio
• 20 minutes of weight lifting to muscle failure

Sleep

• 10 pm bed time
• stay well rested for muscle regeneration and efficient calorie burn

That's it. Not terribly complicated, but it is a daily routine. No days off. We're going to try it for a month and see where we end up. Jae may even do it along with me. It's his way and I see some flaws in it. The yoga will have to have variation to continue to be effective, but for now I'll do the one he recommended. I have a few ideas about the diet too, but for once in my life I'm going to try very hard to keep my mouth shut, trust, and do what I'm told. Plus, the guidelines above can't really go wrong. It's all good stuff. We can optimize as we go.

I did try to start yesterday, though I was still a bit wobbly from my previous week of fasting. One thing I'm pretty happy about with this plan is that it is really low cal still, high nutrition, AND despite feeling like dinner last night was sooo much (it really wasn't but I felt like it was /sigh) I ran calories on it and I burned more calories during just my yoga workout than I took in at dinner. So I ended up going to sleep with a smile on my face.

I also woke up smiling. I hit the scale first thing and found I'd lost a pound since yesterday and was lighter than during my fast. Thank goodness! So that is making this easier too.

I'll probably average 1100-1500 calorie days.... god that looks scary to me. It's going to take some time to adjust to the thought. And workouts should burn around 700 - 900 cals per day. Also as I build muscle my resting calorie burn will go up too, which is good.

I guess I have to reevaluate what blogs to follow now and what not to. Kazehana, it's good to know you guys are trying to go healthy too. I'll keep reading yours and Piglet's. I've seen a few others that I passed up before. <3

My toddler is ordering breakfast and I have to hit up my yoga and then eat my own breakfast.

Good Morning Demarchelier Thinspo!

It's 7:00 am, do you know where your fat is?

(no, that is not my actual heart rate.
and i finished out the workout at just over 500 cals burnt. yay!)


And Now Your Morning Thinspo
Viva Patrick Demarchelier!

(I want this one hanging on my wall. Beautiful.)

Stubbornness

It's easy to see what is going on with my body right now. Lack of sleep and lack of calories have me burning calories inefficiently. Starvation mode. So I'm making it a point to go to bed earlier and nap if I have to. My workout yesterday was great and I know I burned around 400 calories.

My body is pushing metabolic shutdown, I just need to push the bitch back with more exercise. I'm also increasing my calories a bit. I'll bump my limit up to 800 but no more. I just can't cope with the idea of more calories than that right now. I need to work out hard though.

Yesterday's workout was great. I was really surprised how good my stamina is for someone who's basically hung around starving for the last few months. I had to start small because I have an injury and need to test the waters before I work too hard and reinjure. So I did a basic 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, then a brisk walk for another 30 minutes. I really wanted to run. After that first hour of moderate and light activity I had such a strong urge to run. But that would be begging for my foot injury to flare up. Doc's orders are to lose weight, but not to run... great.

Anyway, I'm half a lb. down this morning. I did drink a ton of water after working out so I'm hoping it was fat loss. Or maybe I'm losing some of the water retention. Either way, I'm not happy, but I'm happier than yesterday. I just need to increase the workouts and be diligent. Again, that's so hard with kids and a family. Everybody else comes first.

But if it's hard, I will be tougher. I will continue to push and push because I have no other choice. I'm never going back again. I will weigh less and less until I reach my goal. My fat will vanish. I want to be bikini-ready by October.

Fat Burn Zones, Fat Bitches, and Fat Shots of Vodka

This is really a post for Pro-Ana Optimal... Oh well. I'll post it over there. A clean one. This post I'll fuck up with tales of how much I drank last night. Let's put it this way, I had a really good time, and slept really well last night. There was a bit of drunken tweeting under the wrong account, but wtf. It could happen to anyone. lol I <3 vodka and it loves me. I swear I feel better this morning AFTER drinking than I did yesterday before.

I saw a lady in the park yesterday. She was throwing an obnoxious squeek ball for a cute little dog. The lady must have been at least a hundred pounds overweight. My first thought was, "Lady, you should be the one chasing that ball." Seriously. That lady needs to find her fat burning zone.

Speaking of fat burning zones, you can burn up to 30% more fat using the right heart rate. This chart shows MY customized fat burning zone and other heart rate info.

I mean, if you're going to work your ass off, this is the best way to get that ass off. Go here to get your heart rate zones calculated, if you don't know already.

"Call it sickness call it madness call it obsession i don't care i still call it perfection" - Thinspoella

<3<3<3

P.S. Titania or anyone else interested, if you want to put the Pro-Ana Optimal banner on your own site, that is completely good with me. :) Enjoy!

ChaLEAN Week 1, Burn Circuit 1 & 2

I started over, so this is my official first week.

Monday, May 17 was Burn Circuit 1
I wasn't sure about what weights to start at. I found I'm much stronger than I thought. Comes from lifting all those kids the last 8 years.

Sumo Squat w/ Hip Lift
20 lbs, 12 reps

Lunge w/ Posterior Fly
10 lbs, 12 reps

Push Up w/ Leg Lift
Girly push up :P, 12 reps

Dead Lift w/ Posterior Fly
5 lbs, 12 reps (started with 10 and was too worn out from other flys)

Lunge w/ Core Rotation
25 lbs, 12 reps

Bench Press and Leg Lower
15 lbs, 12 reps

Sumo Squat w/ Side Bend
15 lbs, 12 reps, but was WAY too easy. Trying 20 lbs next time.

Forward-Lean Lunge w/ DBL Arm Posterior Fly
omg no more flies!
5 lbs, 12 reps ... my shoulders are soooo weak.

Chest Fly w/ Hip Lift
15 lbs, 12 reps


Tuesday was a day off.



Wednesday, May 19 is Burn Circuit 2

Sumo Squat w/ Bicep Curl
15 lbs., 12 reps

Lunge w/ One-Arm Tricep Extension
10 lbs, and like 5 reps and then I cramped in my right arm...

The pain was amazing and didn't stop for the longest time. My energy drink, the pain, and not having eaten was almost too much for my body to handle and I nearly blacked out. Then I flipped out emotionally and almost cried. I was completely shaking. Wow... I'm not an unstable person, but I was for a little while right about then. Totally fucked up and shaking. I almost called my husband in a panic. My oldest kid calmed me down... hehehe Kids are so sweet. I used it as an opportunity to point out that I am a living example of what not to do. Don't get fat. Eat healthy, stay physically fit, don't worry about being skinny, just be healthy. Getting fat is unhealthy, losing weight too fast is unhealthy... don't be like Mommy. /sigh I hope I'm not giving my kids a complex.

Eventually, my cramp let up, I got a grip, and pointed out that this workout is the healthiest thing I'm doing.

Dead Lift Row
15 lbs., 12 reps

Sumo Squat w/ Overhead Tricep Extension
10 lbs, 12 reps (less weight because my right arm was still sore)

Dead Lift w/ Double Row
15 lbs., 12 reps

Bowler's Lunge w/ Single-Arm Row
20 lbs., 12 reps

Bicep curls w/ Abductor Balance
15 lbs., 11 reps... muscle failure. That is a very good thing. Perfect weight.

Forward-Lean Lunge w/ Double Row
15 lbs., 12 reps but very tired

Triple-Thread Pushups
I think I did 4 before I crashed, then did about 4 more and was hosed.

That's the end of that workout.

I haven't been doing the two workouts a day. No Brazil Butt Lift. It's been tough enough to work around the kids for the last week on ChaLEAN. I will still keep it on my calendar though in case the opportunity arises. It can't hurt.

Calorie Note: Today I've had my protein shake spiked with carnitine (210) for breakfast along with an energy shot (4 cal). 214 total breakfast. Lunch was baby carrots, a few cherry tomatoes, and two fresh dates. 87 cal total for lunch.

My kitchen food scale arrived, no sign of my new bathroom scale though. It better get here today. /snarlies in as menacing a manner as I have energy for... ;)

soooooo ZZZZzzzleeepy......

ChaLEAN this morning... burn phase workout 1.... food: atkins shake(160cal) for breakfast plus a 5 hour energy drink (4cal).... lunch was another atkins shake (160).... half an in-n-out protein cheeseburger and half a fries (365)......dinner 5 oz fish 1 sm potato(363). Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 1052 total? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

p.s. the hubby is back... he's so gorgeous. why did I have to marry such a hot guy? /sigh what can I say, I love him. Both the beauty and the beast parts. he may just be the death of me.

Cover ya ears Dahlin...

Motherfucking cock sucking son of a two-balled whore!!! Stupid cunt horse shit eating skull fuck!! Gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I'm so pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <-- can u tell?

I don't want to shock anyone, but I'm an extrovert. An extrovert who has about cried 3 times just this morning and has slapped the fuck out of that weepy shit with rage.

Today is day one of my extreme workouts that I need to engage my metabolism and assist my body in burning 20 lbs in 2 months, speeding up my existing calorie restriction weight loss.

ITS A FUCKING 30 MINUTE WORKOUT!!! 30 MINUTES THIS MORNING IS ALL I WANTED!! GODDAMN! I do hate to bitch. I love my kids and I love being a mom.... BUT 30 FUCKING MINUTES IS _NOT_ TOO MUCH TO ASK!!!!!! Not by any standards.

At 10 minutes I'd been interrupted 5 times, no exaggeration! Now I'm sitting here raging. My 15 month old has a cold. He's fed and dry but feeling a bit down and wants to sit on me. Then he gets bored and goes away to play. The second he hears my workout he's on my leg, begging to be picked up.

He just left my lap again. Fucking hell. If I try again and he comes after me I might snap. I just feel like quitting. You want to know why moms are fat? This is one reason why. Because they come last on everyone's list. The kids are more important, the spouse is more important... and you know what? The ones who are self absorbed enough to put themselves first AREN'T FAT!

I feel like quitting. I feel like crying. I feel like running away. This is not fair. 30 fucking minutes. We piss away the day 30 minutes at a time all fucking day, why can't I just get a little tiny piece of that for me????

I swear to god. I'm going to try later maybe. Or try tomorrow maybe. But I SWEAR if I can't make this work, I will seriously starve myself. I will go on an epic hunger strike! Because THAT I can fucking do. That is the ONE THING that I can ACTUALLY do.

My days are either going to look like this:




Or like this:



......... to be continued ................

-UPDATE-

I finally finished my workout while my youngest was napping. Thank god. It really is a short workout, but it is pretty intense and worked up a good sweat. I'm glad. Now I can stop raging. ;) Sorry if I sounded crazy. It happens.