Nov. 11-12th, 2017~ Las Vegas Marathon Week-end

Blessing # 1:
The moment I landed at McCarran International Airport, I rushed to look for the WAX bus to get to my hotel.  It took a while to find it & when I got to the bus stop, I found out that I was 3 minutes late & that the next bus was coming in an hour.:(:(  As I saw the sky slowly getting darker, I was getting a bit worried. 1/2 hour later, a bus showed up & the driver told me I could take his bus then transfer to another bus & handed me a bus pass.  
Me: How much is it?
Driver: Since you were so nice, nothing.  If you were a pain in the a**, it would've cost you $5.

Praise God for that!  Though I had missed the bus I was supposed to take, I still got to my destination & for FREE too!?!  The driver & I started talking & he thought I was from Portland, OR.  I asked him why he thought that & he said it was because I was smiling & kind, "unlike people here in Vegas", ahaha.

Blessing # 2:
My request at "Excalibur" was granted & my room had 2 beds & was near the elevator, yay!

Las Vegas Strip

Excalibur Hotel, 0.5 mile from start line of the race

Blessing # 3: 
My friend Claire, her husband, & their daughter picked me up to head to the Expo at the Convention Center & we had 45 minutes until the Expo closed!  

Everything I got from the Expo, hehe.

Dinner was a bit of a struggle.  We went to a food court to save money & I ended up getting pizza from "Sbarro".  Absolutely nothing compared to Chicago deep dish pizza, obviously, ahhaha.

Blessing # 4: The next morning, I worked out at the gym, which was nice, especially since I had had a stressful week & only made it to the gym twice.  I tried to do hanging knees & pull-ups but the bar was a too thick for my small hands AND my tibia kept hitting the equipment, which gave me bruises (I bruise like a peach!).  At one point, a guy who was wearing the same tee-shirt as me (Chicago Marathon) started lifting behind me then let me know that he was in charge of a running group & that he had a couple of race entries available for the New York Marathon, which he is willing to give me!?!  I'll contact him if I don't get in the lottery for that race.:p

I then was on planning on running to my friends' hotel (1/2 mile away) to eat breakfast together but I went to the wrong hotel & ended up running 3 miles, sigh.  I was afraid that all this unplanned running was going to harm me during the race, which was going to start at 4:30 P.M. that day, but thankfully, it didn't.  For lunch, we went to a British pub & it was pretty good!  It was so hard NOT to order French fries, my biggest weakness, but I kept focusing on 2 things: 1) you will regret eating fries before a race!; 2) you can have all the fries that you want after the race!!;p

Though I was just 1/2 mile away from the start line, I did not take into account 2 things: road closures & people.  After doing so many races, I should've known, yet I still make the same mistakes, tsk, tsk, tsk.  Like a fool, I followed the crowd & illegally made my way to the start line by going down some dirt path & climbing a fence (& I was wearing a skirt).  I kept saying "I can't, I can't!" but then I kept thinking, "You're about to do another marathon, of course you CAN climb a stupid fence!"  It helped a ton that a spectator piled on several sandbags, which allowed us to easily climb over the fence, haha.  Finding the UPS gear check trucks was a nightmare: there were over 40 000 runners & who knows how many spectators & tourists on The Strip & trying to wiggle my way through was no fun.  I had to ask where the trucks were & when I asked the security person how I was going to get there, she laughed.  Yeah, thanks.-___-  I ended up running to the gear check trucks & made it to the back of my corral.  The last time I did the race, back in 2012 (5 years ago already!?!), it was windy but this time, it was warm!  I even wish I had the option of wearing a tank top.  I ended up wearing arm warmers since I knew the temperatures were going to drop as time went on.  While I was waiting for the race to start, I overheard a couple speaking French so I ended up chatting with them.:):)  They were from Strasbourg, France & had never been to Vegas so they played & walked all week long!

It took us 20 minutes to cross the start line.  When I ran by Mandalay Bay, I couldn't help but look at the windows where the shooter was & think about our safety.  Thankfully, there was a strong police presence throughout the entire race & we all felt safe.:):)  

Since I busy running around to look for the UPS trucks before the race, I didn't get to use the porta-potties.  I held it for several miles but by Mile 6, I couldn't do it anymore so I had to make the decision to stop to use the porta-potties.  Do I regret it?  Not one bit because I felt so much better afterwards.:):)  The course has changed since 2012 & also due to last month's shooting from Mandalay Bay.  There was a ton of music throughout the course (this is probably the race w/ the most music for me) but it was taken to another level at Miles 16-18.  It was techno music, which I usually cannot stand, but when I'm running, it pumps me up!:):)  Miles 22-23 was annoying: we kept running around in a circle, which felt like a never-ending maze.  Thankfully, it was dark, which for once, was a good thing, because if I knew how this part of the course was going to be, it would've affected my performance, it was that bad!  I had never run so much in a circle in my life before!  Starting Mile 21, the 1/2 & full marathoners were running side-by-side but out of nowhere, at Mile 24.5, the full marathoners had to turn right for whatever reason!?!  "Uh, aren't we all going in the same direction?  Why aren't we turning right & the 1/2 marathoners are going straight???"  That was a bit mind-boggling.

I'm not sure why but I didn't really sprint to the finish line.  I should've picked up my pace way sooner.  My finish time for my 26th marathon was 4:33:05, 7 minutes faster than the last time I did this race but 7 minutes slower than my previous marathon in Chicago.  Ironically enough, I totally felt that I was running better & faster than in Chicago, I actually felt more energized!

After the race w/ my fav' background.:):)

Blessing # 5: I finished the race around 9:30 P.M. & I was so cold right before I crossed the finish line (& definitely after too) that I couldn't wait to get to the UPS trucks to get my bag & jacket (they ran out of heat sheets!?!).  As usual, I took as much goodies as I could after the race & my arms were so full that they were tired.  One volunteer, Alexander, offered me a bag.:):)  When I finally reached the truck, a race official, Dave, noticed I looked exhausted & made sure I was okay by walking me to the medals tent, which was super nice of him!:):)  He told me that he had gone to every single Rock'n'Roll series race this year, that his favorite race to work at was the one in San Jose, & that I should say "Hi!" to him the next time I do a Rock'n'Roll race, haha.

For dinner, we went to "Popeyes" since I had been craving French fries anyway, haha!  I asked the employee if I could just order 1 piece of chicken brest & fries & she said "yes".  Then, for whatever reason, she said, "What other piece of chicken do you want?"  I said, "Nothing else."  She repeated, "No, what other piece of chicken do you want?"  I really didn't want anything else but since she insisted, I ordered a leg of chicken, which I don't even like, haha.  When she brought me my order, I got a box with my cajun fries, my chicken breast, chicken leg, & a biscuit!?!  I hadn't ordered the latter 2 but since they were closing, she gave me extra food for free!:):)  Since Claire & husband got a lot of extra food too, they gave me some, which I saved for the next morning for breakfast, ahha.  When I got back to my hotel, it was midnight!?!:0

W/ my 2 medals (the 3rd one will arrive in the mail, apparently): marathon medal w/ a die that had the digits 262 (right), marathon challenge medal for having completed 3 Rock'n'Roll marathons (left).

The next morning, I ate the Popeyes leftovers, cold, & uh, it was gross.  I felt sooo full & gross that I didn't even anything until 3 P.M., haha.  But, I was thankful for the food, still.  Before checking out of the hotel, I used the gym 1 more time.:):)  The plan was to go to the "Paris" hotel, then "The Venetian" since it has a canal that goes through the hotel (I graded for 2 hours over there too), & then, on my way to "The Bellagio", I walked by "The Mirage".  The weather was sunny and warm, by the way, & when I strolled by the fountains, I could feel a drop in temperature!

So this is why I was cold as I was approaching the finish line!  Believe it or not, it DOES get cooler when you pass by it!

Oh yeah, sitting down at "The Venetian" was very much needed because I was walking around w/ my backpack & my mini suitcase...  Ridiculous, I know, BUT if I had left them at the hotel, it would've cost me $15/bag!  The backpack was 18 lbs. & the mini suitcase was 9 lbs.  You can imagine how my shoulders were feeling!:0  Anyway, my last stop before taking the bus back to the airport was "The Bellagio" because I wanted to get a pastry from "Jean-Philippe".  It tasted as divine as it looked, hmm, hmm, goooood!

My splurge at Jean-Philippe: fruit tart for almost $10!

 Blessing # 6: I arrived at the airport super early & thought of taking an earlier flight (my bro couldn't pick me up & I had work the next day so I figured I'd taken an earlier flight so I could sleep earlier, etc.).  & I was successful at changing flights, thank God.:):)  When I got onto the plane, I noticed my seat was taken.  I let the flight attendant know & he told to the guy and everyone around him, "None of you guys are seated where you're supposed to."  The guy who was in my seat said, "Well, if she wants her seat that bad, she can have it."  The nerve!?!?!  The flight attendant told me to follow him and gave me an even better seat: it was closer to the front of the plane, it had extra leg room (perfect for someone who had just run a marathon & who had walked a lot that day) & the seat next to me was empty!  Though I was seated where the emergency exit was, I could not have asked for a better seat!:):)  I so wanted to give a piece of my mind to that jerk but I controlled myself...

All in all, this was a wonderfully blessed trip, I loved it!  I remember my trip in 2012 wasn't as pleasant (I felt alone) so thank you, Jesus, for this pleasant trip.:):)  Also, I was a bit nervous about the race since I had only done 2 long runs prior to this race (I had 4 Saturdays to train between Chicago & Vegas, but I rested 2 Saturdays & the last long run (20 miles) sucked!).

Round 2~ DONE!?!

So I finished Round 2 this past weekend!?!  This is how it was different this time:

-my mom did "The Whole30" w/ me & it's been very helpful, ahhaha.

-I didn't sleep as well on several nights but I think it's because I started school again on Aug. 9 & it's been awfully hot.

-I had NO almond butter.

-I only made smoothies 3x.

-I made an exception on Aug. 19 because I had to go to a wedding (I had made that choice prior to the challenge).

-my snacks everyday @ work were roasted nuts!

Surprisingly, I survived, ahahha.  Good thing I had already mentally trained myself mentally during Round 1 during the summer!  It's definitely manageable during the school year!  When I do it again (in 1 week?  I'll modify it though because of my training for a race...  I just don't know how to modify it yet though), I will have to change up my snacks & perhaps consume less eggs?  I think I had eggs every single day!?!

During this round, at least 5 people said I had lost weight but they said it in such an almost alarming way that I wonder if I look... unhealthy???  I guess the weight loss has been all over my body (I lost 2-3 lbs. this 2nd time around) but I am definitely NOT starving myself, ahahha, I love food way too much!  Plus, I'm training for the Chicago Marathon so I definitely need to EAT!!!

Energy is important when you're running and the best source is through carbohydrates, which contain sugar.  ("Carbs break down to sugars in the body, which provide the energy for your run. The amount of carbs you need depends on the length of your run. If you are low on carbs, the body will break down fat or protein to use as fuel. Unfortunately, this is a very inefficient use of energy and requires the body to work harder than when it uses carbs." - "Women's Running")  The thing w/ "The Whole30" is that the only carbs allowed are with fruits & vegetables.  So, I could get my energy/carbs via potatoes, squash & dates, which are actually low calorie carbs but I think what I'll do is:
-have energy chews on my long run days.  If I don't feel strong enough after this Saturday's run, (18 miles), I'll consume more sugar the night before the run.  It's a big "no-no" for "The Whole30" but whatever.  It's MY way of doing the challenge.  Either way, I'll have to make sure I eat enough after the long run.
-have a Lara Bar before the race instead of bread, just to see how different my stomach would feel during the race?)
-refuel with coconut water after training runs

This month, I made:

Slow cooker coconut & green curry pork (delicious & oh so tender!!!  FYI, pork butt = pork shoulder!?!)

Thai coconut red curry beef meatballs (yummy too; red curry paste is weak, green curry is way hotter!!!)

Beef egg breakfast casserole (I added whatever veggies I had on hand)

Round 2~ 1/2 way

So far, so good.  No almond butter, no plantain chips.  I made 1 exception so far: one of my former students came to visit today AND brought me my fav' drink from "Starbucks", green tea frapp w/ 2% milk!!!:):)  It made me so happy though it tasted quite sweet, ahaha.

Yesterday, I made slow cooker coconut & green curry pork & it was delicious!



Super easy to make too, loved it.  Apparently, pork butt & pork shoulder are... the same!?!  I will make an exception this Saturday at a friend's wedding & eat... normally?  We'll see.  I feel that "The Whole30" is going by so slow this time around!?!  I'm not suffering or anything, just an observation, ahaha.

Various excellent articles (random)

Michael Phelps

Excellent articles related to work life

The happy teacher 30-day challenge

"How to decide if you should quit teaching"

"Croire" vs. "penser" et le subjonctif:

 I just tell them that of you think or believe something, there's no doubt in the French grammatical mind. And then I point out that penser and croire in negative and questions do have doubt. also some of the expressions aren't black and white because it depends how much doubt you want to express like with il est possible it can be either.

I tell mine that if I believe or think (or whoever the subject is) then in my mind it is a fact, according to how I see the world. If I don't believe it or think it (au négatif) I could change my mind with future info, so it may or may not be fact. This seems to help most of mine.

Round 2

I'm doing "The Whole30" again, Aug. 1-31.  This time around, I'll do the following:
-NO almond butter
-NO plantain chips
-limit snacks
-exception on Aug. 19 (wedding)

I am looking forward to doing "The Whole30" again because I ate crap for the past 2 weeks, eating too much at times, etc.  I know I can't eat much bread, rice, & flour in limited quantities because they make me feel bloated.

Reintroduction Day 7

I can't believe it's been a week already since I've completed "The Whole30"!?!  Honestly, though I could eat anything I want, I haven't and don't particularly want to!  I love French fries yet haven't had that.  I still haven't had real ice cream, just a blood orange sorbet (which was gooood from "Popbar", hahaha).

So here's what I've realized so far since I've been off "The Whole30":
-I can't have too much rice & bread (makes me feel bloated) - this SHOCKS me & makes sad because  I grew up eating both & love both!!!
-I've been eating too much & realize the other day that I need to stop myself before I feel full because it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to realize that it's full!
-I've become lazy & am cooking less, tsk, tsk, tsk.

I am 75% sure that I'll do "The Whole30" from Aug. 1-31...

Reintroduction Day 3

I had rice at lunch and dinner & guess what???  Rice makes me feel bloated!?!😱 In fact, I feel oh so full that I'm standing up while typing this!  It makes me so sad that 2 of my favorite foods (bread & rice) make me feel bloated!?!  Crazy, SIGH.

I made beef burger patties today (grass-fed beef, salt, pepper, 1 egg, garlic powder, basil, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin) & it was goood but a bit too spicy, ahhaha.  I touched beef with my bare hands for the 1st time!😱

A cashier asked me today if I was a swimmer, hahaah.  It must be because I'm so tan...  If only my upper-back was tan too, ahhaha!

Reintroduction Day 1

Life post-"Whole30" is surreal but in a great way: I feel lighter and my head is clear.  I lost 6 lbs. & I could actually eat whatever my heart desires but it wouldn't be a good idea, ahah.  I'm going to slowly reintroduce food.
Day 1: bread & French pastries, hehe.  I'll go easy.😋 To figure out the triggers, I'll just list the things I hadn't eaten during "The Whole30".
Breakfast: the usual and a piece of bread

Very late lunch: at Springfield Tea Garden - scone, finger sandwiches, mini-croissant with ham and lettuce, fruits

Snack: at Popbar - blood orange popsicle, 1/2 dipped with dark chocolate & hazelnuts

Dinner: enoki mushrooms with lettuce, grass-fed beef & SOY SAUCE!!!  The smell was divine; who knew soy sauce tasted so good after "The Whole30"?!?

Reflection: I have a tiny zit (due to the bread stuff I ate today???) & I do feel a tad bloated...  Flour is not good for me, sigh...

Day 36

LAST DAY, WOOHOOO!!!

Breakfast: almond butter, 1 hard-boiled egg with salt & pepper

Lunch: grape tomatoes, roasted Korean purple potatoes, chicken, blueberries, cherries

Snack: banana, almond butter

Dinner: at "California Fish Grill" - Louisiana grilled catfish with grilled zucchini & kaleslaw, mango

Day 35

Breakfast: my sister came by so I ate well, ahahha - roasted regular & sweet potatoes, over-easy egg, apples with almond butter

Lunch: 2 hard-boiled eggs with salt & butter (I was full!), cherries

Snack:

Dinner:

I bought pork butt today (I know, sounds gross, but that cut actually comes from the shoulder, NOT the butt!?!) & I'm thinking of using one of those recipes & adapting it to "The Whole30", depending on when I make it:
Slow cooker coconut & green curry pork (most delicious recipe but must use broiler -__-)
Best ever slow cooker pulled pork (simplest recipe in terms of handy ingredients)
Slow cooker cilantro lime pork shoulder (simplest recipe in terms of short list of ingredients; will need to use food processor AND marinate for 8 hours)

Day 34

Breakfast: smoothie (celery, strawberries, banana), 1 hard-boiled egg with salt & pepper

Lunch: at "Cheesecake Factory" with colleagues - I ordered the chicken-mango-avocado salad, it was good!  I asked the get cashews instead of wonton strips since I get have that.

Dinner: 1 hard-boiled egg, balsamic chicken, mushroom, my sister's homemade "Whole30" ketchup, Korean purple sweet potato Korean sweet potato, which I've been calling "Japanese sweet potato", oooops, until I was forced to look it up last night, hahaha.  I had dinner before 6 P.M. so by the time it was 8:45 P.M., I was hungry so I had one of my sister's Lara bars & I also had cherries.

Day 33

Breakfast: almond butter, protein-style grilled chicken with egg whiles at Chick Fil-A (free, merci, "Cow Appreciation Day"!)

Lunch: sweet potato, jerk chicken (spice galore, lime, olive oil) & Mexican chicken (olive oil, lime, salt, cumin, garlic, vinegar, oregano, pepper, paprika, onion powder, chili powder), green & black grapes

Snack: almond butter, green & black grapes

Dinner: balsamic chicken (garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary) & Italian chicken (mustard, garlic, herbs, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper), green & black grapes, cherries

I have a problem with almond butter, I can't control myself.  The next time I do "The Whole30", I'll have to do it without almond butter!!!

Day 32

Breakfast: smoothie (celery, strawberries)

Lunch: cauliflower "rice" with grass-fed beef, carrots, sweet potato, papaya with lemon

Snack: 1 hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper

Dinner: sweet potato, jerk chicken (spice galore, lime, olive oil) & Mexican chicken (olive oil, lime, salt, cumin, garlic, vinegar, oregano, pepper, paprika, onion powder, chili powder)

I realized today that bananas are important in smoothies; I didn't have bananas this morning & the smoothie wasn't the same...  I've procrastinated long enough about the reintroduction of food for "The Whole30" so here we go.

Because I'll be going to a bridal shower on Saturday, I have to modify the schedule:
Day 1 (Saturday): bread, pastries
Day 4 (Tuesday): rice, corn, chips
Day 7 (Friday): ice cream, yay!!!!<3
Day 9 (Monday): gluten (bread, pasta)

It's going to be bizarre being able to eat those foods again, I'll to PACE myself & CONTROL myself!!!

Day 31

Breakfast: grapefruit juice, Japanese sweet potato with almond butter and green grapes

Snack: banana

Lunch: my sister's chicken with some sauce (Dijon mustard, thyme, etc.), Japanese sweet potato, kale salad

Snack: almond butter, plantain chips (we finished the bag!!!😭😭😭) - I'll have to figure a new snack for next week!

Dinner: baby back ribs, sweet potato, over-easy egg, papaya with lemon

FRANCE!

I often get asked what to do in Paris, where to go, what to eat, etc., so here it is!:)  But unfortunately, I can't be of any help on where to stay.:(

WHAT TO DO IN PARIS

La Tour Eiffel

L'Arc de triomphe

Les Champs Elysées

Notre Dame de Paris (cathedral)

Le Louvre

Le musée d'Orsay (museum that was once a train station)

Le centre Georges Pompidou (modern museum)

Montmartre (best view of all of Paris)

Le Sacré Coeur (cathedral on top of a hill)

WHERE TO RELAX

Le Jardin du Luxembourg (garden, free, perfect for picnic)

Le Jardin des Tuileries (garden, free, perfect for picnic)

Les galeries Lafayette (shopping)

Le quartier latin (college town, best place to get the sandwich called "grec")

WHAT TO EAT

une baguette (cheap, breakfast, snack, French bread, can be bought at any "boulangerie" - bakery)

un croissant (cheap, breakfast, snack, can be bought at any "boulangerie" - bakery)

un pain au chocolat (cheap, breakfast, snack, can be bought at any "boulangerie" - bakery)

un pain aux raisins (cheap, breakfast, snack, can be bought at any "boulangerie" - bakery)

un chausson aux pommes (cheap, breakfast, snack, apple, can be bought at any "boulangerie" - bakery)

un éclair (dessert, can be bought at an "pâtisserie" - pastry shop)

une tarte aux fruits (dessert, can be bought at a "pâtisserie" - pastry shop)

une crêpe (cheap, snack or lunch, sweet or savory)

des macarons (the best ones are from "Pierre Hermé" but if you want to check out "Ladurée", go fot it)

une glace (ice cream, cheap, try flavors you don't usually go for - e.g., pistachio, raspberry, passion fruit, hazelnut, coconut, etc.)

un jambon-beurre (cheap, French ham in a baguette, perfect sandwich for quick lunch or picnic)

une quiche lorraine

un steak-frites

un boeuf bourguignon (beef stew)

un coq au vin (chicken)

un croque-monsieur (grilled cheese sandwich with ham)

un croque-madame (grilled cheese sandwich with ham topped with an egg)

Day 30!?!

Breakfast:  smoothie (celery, banana, strawberries), Japanese sweet potato, over-easy egg

Lunch: cauliflower "rice" with grass-fed beef, red & green grapes

Snack: plantain chips

Dinner: chicken, vegetables, papaya with lemon

Though it is Day 30, I am continuing the challenging until next Friday.:):)

Day 29

Breakfast: almond butter

Lunch: cauliflower "rice" with grass-fed beef, pineapple

Snack: green & red grapes, plantain chips, 1 beet chip (NOT my thing!)

Dinner: my sister brought dinner, praise God for her - over easy egg, avocado, chicken shwarma, roasted yam and potatoes, red & green grapes

Day 28

Breakfast: smoothie (celery, banana, strawberries), almond butter

Lunch: cauliflower "rice" w/ grass-fed beef, red & green grapes

Snack: plantain chips, smoothie (celery, banana, strawberries)

Dinner: dinner at "Myun Dong" - ordered bibimbap with no rice (beef, veggies), pineapple

Day 27

I cannot believe it's already Day 27!  It has gone by FAST!!!  I'll continue "The Whole30" until July 14th (5 extra days, just because).  I'll do the reintroduction (skip the 1st 5 minutes) on July 17th-21st.  IDK what I'll eat during the reintroduction but I'll do my research...

Breakfast: almond butter, smoothie (celery, banana, strawberries)

Lunch: chili (sister's husband's), spinach purée (mom's)

Snack: green & red grapes, plantain chips

Dinner: my friend's chicken and vegetables soup, red and green grapes

Day 26

Oooops, one day late!  Happy belated Independence Day!

Breakfast: with sister & her husband - Japanese sweet potato, almond butter, strawberries, omelette

Lunch: at California Fish Grill (fish, zucchini & kaleslaw)

Dinner: rib eye with "Whole30"  BBQ seasoning mix for grilled steak (ah-ma-zing!!!  My mouth is still salivating just thinking about it!), bell peppers, rosemary berry mash (not as good as I had imagined)

Day 25

Breakfast: almond butter, Japanese sweet potato w/ almond butter & strawberries

Lunch: cauliflower rice w/ grass-fed beef, chicken, cherries

Snack: organic apple chips

Dinner: a friend who's also doing "The Whole30" dropped off some delicious soup (a tong of veggies with chicken, tomato soup based), my mom's spinach purée, a "fried" egg, a ton of cherries

Day 24

Breakfast: Japanese sweet potato toasts with almond butter, strawberries, and blueberries.  It was divine & pleasing to the eyes!

Snack: apple Lara bar

Lunch: protein style double-double burger at In-N-Out.  I could've eaten a triple, I'm pretty sure, hahaha.

Snack: red grapes

Dinner: at friends' house - we made zucchini "spaghetti" with tomoatoes, mushrooms, turkey ground meat.  Yummy!  When I got home, I ate my sister's baked French fries too, hehe.

Day 23

Breakfast: grapefruit juice (courtesy of my friend Angela's tree), hard-boiled egg, almond butter

Lunch: shrimp, broccoli, failed mayonnaise, cherries

Snack: grapefruit juice, almond butter

Dinner: cauliflower "rice" (used a better recipe) with grass-fed beef (my mistake last time was the absence of meat!!!), cherries

Day 22

Breakfast: pretty smoothie (celery, banana, strawberries, blueberries), almond butter

Lunch: Italian-style slow roasted spare ribs with cauliflower "rice"

Snack: almond butter

Dinner: same as lunch, cherries

Day 21

Breakfast: 2 poached eggs (overcooked, again), almond butter

Lunch: protein-style burger from "The Habit" (free; tomatoes, grilled onions, a ton of lettuce, jalapenos), green grapes

Snack: plantain chips, almond butter

Dinner: chicken, cauliflower "rice", red grapes, cherries

Day 20

Brunch: almond butter, smoothie (organic kale, melon, blueberries, banana), 2 poached eggs

Snack: green grapes, mango, plantain chips

Dinner: chicken with French thyme, oregano, basil, cajun seasoning, brocoli, carrots, egg, melon

I marinaded a bunch of chicken & sent everything to the freezer.  That way, it will be all ready to be cooked next time:
1) cilantro lime chicken marinade (cilantro, lime, olive oil, garlic)
2) jerk chicken (spice galore, lime, olive oil)
3) lemon ginger chicken (lemon, ginger, olive oil, red pepper flakes, ginger)
4) balsamic chicken (garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary)
5) Italian chicken (mustard, garlic, herbs, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper)
6) Mexican chicken (olive oil, lime, salt, cumin, garlic, vinegar, oregano, pepper, paprika, onion powder, chili powder)
7) basic Greek chicken (olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme)
8) Middle Eastern chicken (cardamon, cumin, all spice, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice)

Day 19

Breakfast: omelette with mushrooms & onion (looked ugly because of the mushrooms but it was fine), a spoon of almond butter

Lunch: at "Urban Plates" with friends (steak, roasted potatoes, brussel sprouts), pineapples, melons

Dinner: not hungry but ate still (chicken, mushroom, cauliflower "rice")

"Urban Plates" was a nice option for "The Whole30".😋

Work Crap

Since I'm so tired of working like a maniac, I've been doing some research on how to be a more effective teacher.  Here are some cool stuff I've learned the past 4 weeks:

Aww Board - whiteboard platform, students can draw (?) (=whiteboard tech. version)

Breakout EDU - can be done in class physically or digitally with Chromebooks, to create/start a Breakout, go on "Google Sites".  FAQs
Canva - more sophisticated than "PiktoChart", to create bumper stickers, blogs, etc.  Must be able to use "Google Drawing"?

Crashcourse French - lessons on any French stuff by John Green

EdPuzzle - take YouTube videos (6-11 minutes) to be loaded on, convert to MP4 (online video converter); look for pre-made ones, I can edit videos, add questions that I want to put, videos pass by themselves, students type answers on the website, good for listening comprehension, vocab. & grammaire
AATF Edpuzzle resources

Flipgrid - students can record their own presentations & the class can view them in class & put comments (?)

Free Technology for Teachers - most of the apps are free

French grammar activities worksheets
GOOGLE

• Google Cardboard - $450, set of 30 OR $10/glasses OR $5/cardboard
• Google Expedition app - students download the app (iamcardboard), use their own phones
• If students don't have cellphones, they can share: one will be the guide OR ask the community to donate their old phones & they get a tax deduction
• Google Classroom - to create a class & invite our students via access code, we can easily email students
• Google Cloud Search - to look for anything I've ever saved!!!
• Google Drawing
• Google Form - create surveys, MC questions, T/F questions BUT it doesn't save answers?
• Google Keep - post-its / reminders for self :)
• Google Screen Castify - to make videos, students record & submit them

JeNeSaisPas - from a workshop at ACTFL "Planned purposeful target language & Engl. use for teachers & students"
Kaizena - right after students submit their recording/work online, I can orally give feedback
LetsRecap - better than "Flipgrid" because "LetsRecap" is free!  Students can record themselves talking, etc.  Similar to "Screen Castify".  Must create prompt.
Nearpod - PPT already created by other teachers, it's interactive
Padlet - to capture what students have learned, same questions everytime ("Today, I learned...", 2-3 sent.), done the last 10 min. of class or beginning), to gather questions, students can see the questions or it could be private
PiktoChart - to create stats in the form of charts, present maps, graphs, photos, text, infographic, brochure, report, presentations
Plickers - using QR codes, we can scan students' answers.
PushingTheEdge - ????????????????
QR code generators - ??????????????????
Qui est-ce? - jeu de société, à acheter sur "Amazon.com"

Quizizz - more sophisticated than Kahoot, 15 questions, can work at your pace or against "ghost mode" (their own best scores), questions are on each person's own screens

Quizlet - good for 12 vocabulary & definitions, can use other teachers', can be done live (played in class), grouped by Quizlet, 5 teams at least

Snap & read - to highlight, will read in French

Storybird - to create story books
TagXedo - word clouds in any shape (here's how to use it)
Tolerance - ??????????????
TV5Monde

• apprendre le français (vidéos, exercices): usage autonomie pdt. la classe 
• enseigner le français (800 fiches pédagogiques, vidéo + fiches): mise en route et découverte (pour introduire le vocab.)
• parlons français, c'est facile (on suit 4 personnes et leurs histoires...)
• paroles de clips (clips de musique...)

VideoNotes - similar to EdPuzzle (good for listening exercises, look for old ones, edit & share; we type questions with time on the side, students watch & click on questions & time easily)
Wizerme - worksheets done online --> I type them there, students work on them online in class
WordClouds - similar to TagXedo (see above)
Wordle

ASK DPT. TO BUY THIS:

• Google Cardboard - $450, set of 30 OR $10/glasses OR $5/cardboard
• Google Expedition app - students download the app (iamcardboard), use their own phones

Great video on "Summer secrets for a stress-free fall":
Secret # 1: Eliminate unintentional breaks
Secret # 2: Work ahead by batching & avoid task-switching
Secret # 3: Use scheduling to create boundaries around your time
Secret # 4: Figure out "the main thing"& do it 1st
Secret # 5: Look for innovative ways to relax any standards that create unnecessary work

Arcadia Innovation Summit:
-"If you want change to happen, you crawl, walk or run, you can't just stand still."
-Jaime Casap was the speaker.:)
-"Generation Z has a different process of learning due to the environment they grow up in."
-Stop asking "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  Ask "What problem do you want to solve?  What do you need to learn in order to solve that problem?"


Day 1 (Thursday)
New lesson (i.e., notes)

Day 2 (Friday)
Oral practice, listening activities, written exercises in textbook, Quizlet (need Chromebook!), Edpuzzle (take YouTube video & include questions in them)

Day 3 (Monday)
Quizlet (need Chromebooks!), worksheet (on paper or Wizerme), correction

Day 4 (Tuesday)
Game (flashcards, Kahoot, Quizizz, Edpuzzle, Pictionary)

Day 5 (Wednesday)
Quiz!

To check for understanding
Padlet (need Chromebooks, to be done just for 10 min.)

To supplement lessons
"Bien Dit" videos, Crashcourse French, Free Technology for Teachers

To reinforce concepts
Chansons
Poèmes
Lectures

End of chapter review activities
Jeopardy
Breakout EDU
Snap & read

End of chapter projects
Storybird (to create a book)
Flipgrid (to record presentations)

Day 18

Breakfast: smoothie (organic kale, banana, strawberries, melon; I added the melon because it tasted too much like vegetables), my sister's Lara bar

Lunch: pick-2 deal salads at Panera (lettuce, spinach, cucumber, apples, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, almonds, balsamic vinaigrette)

Snack: apple

Dinner: sausage, cabbage, carrots, green grapes.

 Here's a useful site about eating out.

Whole30 Recipes

I just finished reading "The Whole30" book by Melissa & Dallas Hartwig & here are my favorite recipes.

EGGS
perfect poached eggs (page 150)
spinach frittata (page 206)

DRESSINGS
basic mayonnaise (page 179)
basic vinaigrette (page 184)
chimichurri (page 306)
cilantro-lime mayonnaise (page 310)
hollandaise (page 314)
pesto (page 315)
whole30 ketchup (page 323)
herb citrus vinaigrette (page 326)
raspberry walnut vinaigrette (page 328)
balsamic vinaigrette (page 328)
Asian vinaigrette (page 330)

ONE POT MEALS
chicken chowder (page 336)
roasted pork shoulder with butternut squash, kale, & tomatoes (page 344)
Thai coconut soup (page 352)

FANCY MEALS
backyard BBQ - I don't like BBQ sauce & it has none!:)
                Dallas's watermelon salad (page 359)
                pesto shrimp with cherries tomatoes (page 359)
                BBQ seasoning mix for grilled steak (page 360)
                grilled vegetables with balsamic glaze (page 361)

DRINKS
rosemary berry mash (page 391) - without the sugar and alcohol
mocktails

Day 17

Breakfast: bad smoothie (carrots, celeri, cucumber, watermelon - I added the watermelon because it tasted like vegetables, ewww), poached egg (it's harder to make than it seems but the yolk was runny, just like how I like it!  I'll have to try it again.), my sister's Lara bar

Snack: banana, apple Lara bar

Lunch: salads, fruits (I was at a bridal shower & I survived, yay!!!)

Dinner: sausage, eggs with chives, red bell peppers, plantain chips, melon

I went to Sprouts today and though there was a 99 cent deal for chips, I didn't buy any!!!!  I also went to a different Trader Joe's and found my plantain chips, which I will eat in moderation, of course, hahaha.

Day 16

Breakfast: my sister's delicious Lara Bar & my bad smoothie (kale, banana, green grapes, strawberries) - it was too sour and the more bananas and strawberries I added, the worse it tasted.  I'll put less kale tmrw...  Oh yeah, the kale was organic, yet it didn't mean squat.

Lunch: leftover (eggs with chives, mushroom, bacon, cauliflower "rice"), watermelon

Snack: almond butter

Dinner: leftover (eggs with chives, sausage, red bell peppers), watermelon

I was feeling down today so I stuffed my face with almond butter.  Not good.

Day 15

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, banana, blueberries, strawberries), hard-boiled egg with salt & pepper
The smoothie was NOT good!  The only frozen ingredient was the banana, which made the smoothie lukewarm or something!?!  Lesson learned: 2/3 of the ingredients MUST be frozen!!!

Snack: plantain chips, grapes

Lunch: cauliflower "rice" with sausage, cherries

Snack: plantain chips, my sister's homemade Lara Bar

Dinner: shrimp, red bell peppers, omelette with chives, watermelon

1/2 done with the food experiment/challenge!!!!  I was at a workshop today and we were served breakfast (croissants and pains au chocolat!!!!) & lunch (Jersey Mike's turkey sandwich, chips, soda, cookies) but of course, I didn't eat anything!!!  I was prepared so that's why I was able to resist but what was the most difficult was not eating the pain au chocolat!!!😭😭😭

I bought another bag of plantain chips from Trader Joe's (yellow bag, $1.99) but it wasn't the one I wanted - the purple wasn't on sale at that particular Trader Joe's...  Maybe the purple one is only sold at certain ones...😞

My sister made Lara Bars and the "real" ones do not even compare: my sister's are WAY better!!!  Thye have dates, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts.  The hazelnuts make them oh so gooood.  My goal is to only have 1 per day (it'll be hard, they're soooo good)!

Day 14

Breakfast: just my smoothie (lots of spinach, banana, strawberries)

Snack: plantain chips

Lunch: leftover (chicken & steak with coconut lime sauce)

Dinner: cauliflower "rice" (with carrots, green onions, sesame oil, onions, garlic, my favorite seasonings, eggs, hot Italian sausage from Sprouts), mango, cherries

So in the afternoon, I tried "The Whole30" cauliflower "rice" & it was alright...  I mean, it's definitely not fried rice, ahhaha.  Good thing I added meat, otherwise, I wouldn't really have enjoyed it...

Day 13

Breakfast: smoothie (dragon fruit, spinach, banana, strawberries), 1 hard-boiled with salt and pepper.

Lunch: Thai chili chicken salad (spinach, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chicken, balsamic vinaigrette, cashews) from Panera, apple

Snack: plantain chips

Dinner: leftover (chicken and steak with sauce from Saturday's coconut lime sauce), my sister's carrot soup (that was actually super good, esp. since it had ginger), cherries

Day 12

Breakfast: omelette (3 eggs, spinach, tomatoes, onion, brocoli) - it looked like an omelette but not perfectly, still...  I didn't add enough salt so I didn't enjoy it as much...  Though the presentation is important, I think flavor is even more important (in this case).

Snack: cherries

Lunch: at "Le Pain Quotidien" with a friend.  I had the choice between a soup, a salad, or an omelette.  I ended up choosing an omelette (French ham, onion) that came with a salad. I gave the 2 pieces of bread to my friend.  It cost $14!?   It was smaller than this morning omelette and had fewer ingredients!?!  Eating out while doing "The Whole30" turns me off more and more.

Snack: 2 Lara bars (apple, cashews)

Dinner: mussels and roasted potatoes from last night, dragon fruit, cherries.

So I ate 2 omelettes today, 6 eggs!?!  I'm going back to making my smoothies because I missed it today.

Day 11

Breakfast: smoothie (less spinach than previously, banana, strawberries, orange juice) --> the smoothie was FINALLY BEAUTIFUL, i.e., non-brown color, ahhha.  BUT, the top was loose (I did that?!?) & it spilled ALL. OVER. THE. FLOOR. & my running shorts & my legs!?!😤 So I made another smoothie & ate 1 hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper.

Lunch: Thai chicken salad at Panera.  Good!  & I had $1 off discount & since I ordered at the machine, I could whatever whatever I wanted!  I also had a banana & an apple.

Snack: my sister's banana chips & Trader Joe's banana chips.

Dinner: mussels with mint leaves, mango.

Today's goal was supposed to be "no snacks" but after the gym, I was hungry & stuffed my face with the banana chips.😞 So that was a fail.  I guess I need a snack after all before the gym.

A church friend started doing "The Whole30" today (2nd time doing it!) & one of my former students  started today as well!  Yay, the "crazy" club is expending, ahaha. Here are the people that I know are doing the challenge: Pascale, John, Jewel, Krisdee, Grace H., Karen D., Naomi L., Heather, moi.

Day 10

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, strawberries, banana, blueberries, hemp seeds sample), 1 hard-boiled egg with salt & pepper

Snack: banana

Lunch: church lunch from Panda Express... chicken, beef with brocoli, carrots... Yes, I know, it must've been loaded with soy sauce, sigh...

Snack: cherries, 1/2 Lara bar (cashew)

Dinner: with a friend at Denny's...😷 Skillet dish with potatoes, reb bell peppers, onions, sausage, 2 over-easy eggs.  Eating out is no fun being on "The Whole30".

I'm gonna try not having snacks on Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday since it's frowned upon by "The Whole30".  It claims that if I'm eating well for each meal, then I shouldn't have to want to have a snack...

Day 9

Ooops, 1 day late!

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, banana, strawberries, blueberries, hemp seeds sample), 1 hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper

Lunch: chicken and baby back ribs leftover, green grapes

Dinner: coconut lime chicken, red bell peppers, broccoli, green grapes, blueberries

I read a lot in "The Whole30" & learned so much!

Day 8

No cooking today!?!  It was good and bad.

Breakfast: at my sister's & man, it was GOOOOOD!  Vegetarian frittata, avocado, homemade ketchup, blueberries.

Lunch: Vietnamese bánh xeo (omelette with pork, shrimp, coconut, flour, mung beans) & a whole plate of lettuce, mint leaves, basil leaves (?) --> big letdown: not only was there no coconut flavor but I think the flour made me extremely bloated.  So much so that I didn't have the desire to eat for 6 hours.

Dinner: chicken & baby pork ribs leftover from last night, frozen green grapes.

So I think flour makes me bloated!!!  Though I'm not proud of having consumed the bánh xeo in spite of the flour, I'm glad I learned that flour might be a problematic ingredient for me!

Day 7

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, strawberries, banana, blueberries)

Snack: roasted nuts

Lunch: leftover from last night (sausage, red bell peppers, Japanese mushrooms)

Snack: plain shaved ice with my smoothie from this morning, raspberries, banana --> I can't believe it actually happened, ahahha.  $2.34 at "Snowflakes" with friend.

Dinner: baby back ribs, chicken, spinach, tomato, soup, frozen grapes.  Post-dinner snack: almond butter

I finished the jar of almond butter!  Before I get judged, there was barely any left, I just cleaned ir up, ahaha.  Now, I have to buy a new jar!

Figuring out where to go to catch up with my friend was HARD!!!!  After some research on Yelp and consulting my friends who are doing "The Whole30", I was able to survive meeting up with my friend.  It took creativity and mindfulness but all in all, it was feasible!

Day 6

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, banana, strawberries, blueberries), 1 hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper

Snack: roasted nuts

Lunch: shepherd's pie (no pie) leftover, NY steak leftover, egg, spinach

Snack: grapes, almond butter, mango

Dinner: hot Italian sausage, Japanese mushrooms, red bell peppers, frozen grapes, frozen mango

I think I should start varying my foods, I keep eating the same breakfast, ahhaha.  I'm fine with it but the people I'm talking to are quite creative!  I bought a lot of fruits and veggies today and I can't wait to use and eat them: bananas, mangoes, strawberries, cherries, cucumber.

Day 5

Breakfast: smoothie (color is worse today - I added too much water and the blueberries didn't help), one hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper

Snack: nuts

Lunch: roasted potatoes, chicken, bok choy

Snack: almond butter, red grapes

Dinner: 1/4 lb NY boneless steak (I thought I was going to be able to finish the other 1/4... wrong!!!), egg, mushroom, frozen red grapes

Still doing fine!  I read today that "The Whole30" isn't a big fan of smoothies because our brain registers drinking differently from eating.  But I'm still gonna make smoothies because it's helping me inhale veggies more, hahaha.

Day 4

Breakfast: smoothie (spinach, strawberries, banana) - too leafy; 2 hard-boiled eggs with salt & pepper (I'll just have 1 next time)

Snack: roasted nuts (almonds and walnuts with my oregano, cajun seasoning, basil, French thyme, cayenne pepper)

Lunch: salad and yucca fries at "Aji Limon" (that's the best I could do, sigh...) - it cost me $12 with tip and no, it wasn't worth it.  I successful refused the bread and the passion fruit juice sample (so sad though)!:)

Snack: banana, almond butter

Dinner: chicken, spinach, mint leaves, beef

I'm feelin' fine today and it helps that the sun has come out, woohoo!

I went to Ralphs to buy boneless chicken breast ($1.57/lb) and 1/2 lb of a NY steak ($14/lb).  I also went to Aldi to buy strawberries ($0.99) and eggs ($0.79).  I'm looking forward to trying on new recipes.:)  By the way, I would add photos but I can't on my laptop, for whatever stupid reason...

I'm looking forward to trying the following:
mushroom and sage chicken
coconut lime chicken
chicken and mango avocado salsa
lemon chicken with asparagus
coconut curry chicken

Day 3

Breakfast: failed omelette (2 eggs, grass-fed beef, tomatoes, green onions, cajun seasoning, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, French thyme) - delicious!

Snack: banana, almond butter

Lunch: beef, chicken, chive omelette

Snack: papaya with lemon juice

Dinner: beef, roasted potatoes (I modified it so that it'd be "Whole30" compliant and just threw in my favorite spices), papaya with lemon juice

I went to Costco today to buy almond butter but couldn't find any!  Maybe it's a sign...  Good because I'm making progress emotionally: I only had 2 spoons of almond butter today, hahaha.

Day 2

Breakfast: hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper, papaya with lime, almond butter

Lunch: Cambodian soup with meat, papaya

Snack: pineapple, banana, almond butter

Dinner: bok choy, shepherd's pie (without the crust)

June Gloom is still lingering around, so annoying.  I'm eating a lot of almond butter: it's helping me cope...  I'll have to find some other variety for the rest of the 28+ days!

I realized today that tofu is excluded from "The Whole30" & I had today and yesterday!?!  I'm not starting over, I'll just finish the challenge mid-July or something.  I read the book today & apparently, I "might feel guilty about reintroducing food once the 30 days"...  Yeah, right, haaha,  I'll gladly help myself eating a fruit tart or something, hahaha.

Day 1 (encore)

I went out for Happy Hour last night, tsk, tsk, tsk.  Here's what happened:

My friend ordered breaded calamari & a mojito & for whatever STUPID reason, I gave in and ordered a margarita & we shared salmon ceviche.  HUUUUGE MISTAKE!  Not just because I have to start the challenge over but because of the following...😰

Out of nowhere, I started feeling bad.  When I made it to the restroom (just 10 steps!?!), I could barely open my eyes, bumped my head against the door, & the next thing I know, a woman asked me, "Are you ok???", & helped me to make it to a wall in the restrooms.  She grabbed a trashcan for me & helped me stand up & watched me throw up!?!Urgh, I was soooo embarrassed!!!😳 I was sweating profusely & the waitress said I was pale!?!  "Pale!?!", I'm thinking, "how could this be???" When I have a drink, I get RED, not pale, so obviously, I was not ok.

LONG story short, Faith is the lady who held me up and watched me throw up (she was my guardian angel - she told me she went to church and liked helping people.  I was so busy throwing up that I didn't even get to tell her that I was Christian too.😞), the waitress told my friend that I was puking in the restrooms (the whole time, she thought I was fine) & called the paramedics (I begged her to send them back & that I was ok - I really wasn't).  3 paramedics came inside the restrooms and they took my blood pressure.  My abdomen was hurting like heck & I was still throwing up here & there.  Since my blood pressure was ultra low, they sat me down & wanted to take me to the hospital.  I was like, "Nooo!"  So they took my blood pressure again when I stood up & this time, it was normal!?!  Crazy.  The paramedic-recorder suspects that I either had the flu, food poisoning or something else (don't recall).  Anywho, since I was feeling much better and my face had gained some color back, there wasn't a need to go to the hospital anymore.🙌  He instructed me to wash my hands so I could sign the form on the iPad (so high-tech now!), said that it was good that my hair was short because I was able to throw up freely (ha-ha), & he also asked if I was usually healthy & I'm like, "Yeah!?!" & he was like, "Yeah, that's what we all say!"

So I'm totally FINE now, praise God for that!  When I drove home & called my sister to tell her what had happened, her first words were, "Did the paramedics get your phone #???"  I was like, "Really?!?"  So yeah, that's what my weakness lead me to...  Also, I can't believe my health is so weak this year: I threw up on Jan. 1, mid-March, & then last night!?!

I have 2 potlucks today -__- but I'm strong now & not making the same mistakes!  So today is the REAL Day 1!

Statistics about stuff

• An average child will accumulate 238 toys by the time he/she is 10 years old and he/she will only play with about 12 of them.
• Annually, Americans spend more on shoes, jewelry and watches ($10 billion) than they do on higher education.
• In the U.S., there are more malls than high schools.
• The average person will spend 3680 hours (153 days or 5 months) of his/her life looking for misplaced items.  The most frequent items are phones, keys, sunglasses and paperwork.
• The average American woman owns 30 outfits - one for every day of the month.  In 1930, that figure was nine.
• Shopping malls outnumber high schools.  93% of teenage girls rank shopping as their favorite pastime.
• 80% of what we keep, we never use.

Interesting, huh?  Look at the last statistics for example.  We keep (or should keep) things because they're meaningful, right?  Yet, the statistics implies the opposite: we keep things BUT most of it is NOT even used!?!  How could this be?
Is it because we forget what we own?
Do we have so much that we DON'T EVEN KNOW what we (already) have?
Do we have a hard time letting go and that's why we keep accumulating so much... stuff?

Ever since I've moved into my new place, I have been in the state of minimizing.  I still have a LONG way to go BUT I have made a lot of progress.  For instance, I have been able to let go of clothes I don't wear (anymore).  It should be easy to get rid of them yet sometimes, I just can't.  "But I spent money on this!"  2 things keep bringing me back to reason:
-"If you haven't worn it in a year, you will not wear it, ever."
-"Let someone wear your clothes instead of letting them collect dust in your closet, you obviously don't need/like them."

My sister introduced me to her BFF, Marie Kondo.  This Japanese lady is known for her book "Art of decluttering and organizing".  (FYI, I just hyperlinked something for the 1st time!?!)  I still haven't read the book but I know it'd be good for me, sigh...  Perhaps I'm running away from the book because I'm running away from my problems...  Yeah, that's it...  But I just found the book at the library AND it also exists on CD so I could listen to Marie while driving or cleaning, hahaha.

Day 1

And so it begins!

Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs seasoned with salt & pepper

Snacks: cashews, almonds, pistachios, banana

Drink: water, hot tea

Lunch: phở without vermicelli

Snacks: grapes

Dinner: Happy Hour at "The green olive" --> HUGE mistake
pita bread, buttermilk calamari, sweet & sour shrimp, salmon ceviche, blackberry margarita

Snack ideas:
http://www.shutterbean.com/2016/whole30-snack-ideas/

Meal plans:
https://www.ourpaleolife.com/whole30-meal-plan-grocery-list/
https://www.ourpaleolife.com/category/recipes/whole30/

What I can and cannot eat:
https://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/

Gotta start somewhere

So I'm thinking of doing the "Whole30 Program" on June 8th.  It's been on my mind for a week now and you could say I've been actively thinking about it, talking to people who've done it, asking 10 million questions about the program, doing my research, etc.  I even went to the library 2 days ago to borrow the book.  So I guess I'm serious about it!

I don't know how I'm going to do it because I hear it's challenging.  But I want to know what the BIG deal is and since it's the summer and I am not stressed, it's the perfect time for me to dive into it.

Let's start with the basics, THE RULES:

1) Eat real foods

• meat
• seafood
• eggs
• lots of vegetables
• some fruit
• plenty of natural fats
• foods that have pronounceable ingredients OR
• foods that have NO listed ingredients, which mean "whole" or "processed" :)

2) Avoid for 30 days

• NO added sugar
• maple syrup
• honey
• agave nectar
• Splenda, Equal, etc.
• NO alcohol
• not even for cooking!
• NO grains
• wheat
• rye, barley, OATS!?!
• corn
• rice
• quinoa
• buckwheat
• NO legumes
• beans
• peas
• chickpeas
• lentils
• peanuts
• soy sauce
• miso
• tofu
• endamame
• lecithin
• NO dairy
• milk
• cream
• cheese
• yogurt, frozen yogurt
• ice cream
• sour cream
• NO MSG
• NO baked goods, junk foods
• pancakes, waffles
• bread
• tortillas
• biscuits
• muffins, cupcakes
• cookies, pizza crust
• cereal
• chips, plantains
• les frites!!!:(:(
• anything you don't think would be healthy
• ***When in doubt, leave it out!!!***
• NO stepping on the scale or body measurements.

3) Allowed

• green beans
• snow peas
• vinegar, balsamic
• coconut nectar

4) No need to

• buy organic, grass-fed...
• cheat, don't cheat!!!
• make exceptions for special occasions!!!