It took me 4 weeks to complete week 2. However, I was still participating in other activities such as Yogalates and Latin Hip Hop, so I wasn't completely stagnant.
The Results:
- My weight didn't change
- I gained 0.5" in my waist
- I gained 0.75" in my hips
Let's talk about my weight first. Here's a day in the life of a woman battling PCOS.
On Christmas Day, I encountered the stomach flu. I proceeded to pray to the porcelain gods until there was nothing left. It took me approximately 3 days to fully recuperate and in those 3 days, I didn't eat much. When I felt better, I weighed myself: I weighed the exact same as before my 4 day flu venture.
For the next 2 days, I ate pretty healthy, but also indulged in a bit of sugar, it was the Christmas season after all. The next morning, I weighed myself: gained 5 lbs.
For the past 2 days, I've been eating a really clean, whole-food, endo-diet-friendly diet. A teeny-tiny bit of agave nectar & whole fruit is the only sugar I've been consuming. Weighed myself this morning: lost 2 lbs.
Now, I know there are a lot of factors that could play into such drastic weight changes in a short amount of time, but here's reality...PCOS affects certain women in this way. I found a great article that really explains it well. The paragraph that most stood out to me was, "PCOS causes insulin resistance, which makes your body unable to deal with sugar. The body converts it to fat instead of processing it as it should. Hence, women with PCOS gain weight easily, usually right around the middle. The more you gain, the worse the insulin resistance becomes, which makes it even harder to lose weight."
Which brings me to the results in numbers. Notice that I didn't lose any inches this week either. I gained them. Take note where I gained them. Yup, my waist and my hips. Just as the article says above.
Now, I could stop here and be really frustrated by my situation, but here's the deal: a picture doesn't lie. Check out the picture from week 1 (which was actually taken 4 weeks ago). The bad: I've lost definition in my waist. The awesome: check out my curves! If you look in the side-view pictures above, take notice of my thighs. In the week 1 photo, my leg goes straight down. In the week 2 photo, there's definite curvature! This means, I'm building muscle - I'll take it!
One last note: I typically don't track calories and such, but since my eating has been so off course, I decided to try tracking my carb, protein and calorie intake as well as the calories I'm burning. I'm also tracking my water intake to make sure I'm getting enough. The site I'm using is free and if you have a smart phone, I believe there's even an app for it. You can find me on My Fitness Pal; username: foodie4healing.
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Now for some delicious & healthy grub...
Yields: 4 servings
To Endo-ize: substitute ground turkey for the ground beef and use gluten-free pasta
For a complete meal: serve with a glass of Milk or a piece of fruit
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One thing I have greatly missed is Chocolate Chips. There really aren't any great products on the market for someone like me. About 90% of the chocolate chips available contain soy. If they don't contain soy, then they contain sugar and/or dairy. So, when I stumbled across a recipe for them on another foodie blog I follow, I couldn't wait to try them!
Yields: 1.5 cups (even though she says 3 cups on her recipe)
Note: I used stevia in this recipe. Stevia can be really tricky to work with, so instead of doing the recommended 3 scoops, I decided to only add 1/2 tsp at a time. I added a total of 1 tsp Stevia and that was plenty. In fact, my DH thinks 1/2 tsp would've been enough.
Storing: Because of the coconut oil, these can melt at room temperature. I suggest storing them in the freezer.
Now, how to use my new Homemade Chocolate Chips? What better way than in an Endo Diet-friendly dessert!
Yields: 16 servings
No balking at the ingredients. You gotta try these! They are delicious and really hit the spot when you want a sweet treat. Even my picky DD loves these!
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PCI's Turkey Chili
Yields: 6 servings
1 large onion, chopped
2 lbs ground turkey
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes with juice
2 T chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 T paprika
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
Brown turkey, garlic and onions until no longer pink. Stir everything together except the beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes-1 hour. Add beans and cook until heated.
For a complete meal: serve with a glass of Milk, side of Pineapple and a few Saltine Crackers.
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Yields: 3-4 servings of dressing
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Also, I've added a "FAQ's" page to my blog. Let me know if you have any questions that you'd like featured there. Chances are, if you've got a question, someone else is wondering the same thing. So, ask away!
