Zma Hoops!

 Hello Again My Friends! I hope you had a peaceful and joy filled holiday!  I am here to tell you that I had a blast with all 6 of my grandmonkies, even though I allowed myself to stray a bit from my keto diet! And I only gained a pound, which I lost overnight! I am planning on doing keto for a few more weeks.  Hopefully my carb cravings will diminish. And then I plan on focusing on whole foods, low carb, mostly plant based. I get bogged down with so much animal  product on keto.  Plus, I have read that it is not healthy long term. But I found that after having cookies, mashed potatoes, stuffing and candy (all in moderation, I think!), I really feel better minimizing the carbs and sugar.  My energy is higher, my joints are less stiff and I feel empowered!  I am woman, hear me roar! Oh, and I am still hooping daily. Today is Day 117! And I managed to make it to the gym a few times last week for a bit of weights, stretching and a chair massage. Moving fo...

Hello Again! Today is Day 106 of daily hooping, Day 11 keto, and Day 278 at the gym!  I'm a daily kind of Zma! I'm building such good habits into my daily routine, that if I don't accomplish one, I feel like something is missing! I have been missing the gym. It felt good to go in and lift a few weights, stretch and then relax in the massage chair. This is recital season, holiday season, cold and flu season...I had to take a break from something to keep my focus, my balance and my sanity! I am in focus mode today.  Round two of piano students is this evening.  Round one was last night. It was magical! I had to wipe away several tears of joy - my students all played with beauty and feeling.  I am a proud teacher.  And I am proud of myself! I have not strayed from my diet,  even when presented with a cookie laden table! Mark me safe from the cookie table! My new trick is to carry a "keto bag" with me everywhere I go. It is filled with sugar free candy, pork ri...

 Hello Again! Today marks Day 105 daily hooping and 10 days on the keto diet!  I have stayed true to the course. Aiming for little or no sugar.  Very low carbs, high good fat, and lean protein. Here is my first meal today. I ate at 11 a.m. I usually fast 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 am.  First meal:  Caulifower rice with veggies and Indian spices, yogurt chicken, avocado, fried egg and collard greens. The keto flu - if that what it was - symptoms are gone!  I've noticed that since I am not eating carbs, I am not hungry much throughout the day. This amazes me. I have had a beast of an apetite my whole life!  I am particularly prone to binging on salty crunchy foods like popcorn, crackers, chips. I also love bread, pasta, rice. For 10 days I have had none of those things! And I don't miss them much!  The food I am eating keeps me satisfied. And it is oddly consoling. I have had moment where I want something sweet.  And moments of panic, thinking, "I don'...

Hello Again My Friends! I feel like I have emerged from the pit! I fear I have the dreaded KETO FLU!  Today I feel almost human.  Yesterday  - Not so much! I was so tired,  body aches, headache and nausea. I was afraid I would pass out in the midst of the choir concert I was accompanying! But here I am! And the choir concert went well! I think it did....twas a big blur!  I experienced the keto flu many years when I first attempted this lifestyle.  So I knew what to do: Drink pickle juice, drink oodles of water and bone broth. I also drank tea and a diet coke. This morning I am still a bit tired and nauseous, but less achy.  Aside from the keto flu, I do believe this plan is working for me this time around!  I am losing about 1/2 pound per day. I think.i want to incorporate more veggies into my diet.  But amazingly,  I am not craving carbs or sugar  - at least for today! Here is today's hooping video- Day 103: Zma Hoops! Day 103 Talk...

Hello Again My Dear Friends!    Today's first meal: almond flour biscuit, bacon chips, homemade guacamole,  sliced, a fried egg and Lady Gray tea.  I have survived 5 whole days on the keto diet! I have lost lbs so far and my energy has improved. I had a bit of a rough time yesterday, but I powered through. I accompanied my dear friend's vocal students in a lovely home recital. Of course, afterwards we had a table laden with goodies. Of the carb and sugar variety.  I felt myself drawn like a magnet to the spread. As if in a trance. I stopped myself before I reached for a cookie.  It was difficult. I have a lifelong history of binging at parties. Especially on carbs.  I appeased my raw emotions with a handful of olives, cheese and salami. I hugged my friend and headed home, floating on a cloud of musical contentment and personal pride for resisting the post recital treats! It was an a-ha moment for me. At home, I had a bit of carb deprived ma...

 Good Morning Friends! It is a cold, gloomy day through my window. But here inside, I am feeling joyful!  I am beginning my 4th day on the keto diet. And I feel good!  I noticed that throughout the day, I am not suffering cravings or moments of hunger panic.  My joints are not as achy and I am climbing and descending stairs with glee! I am also practicing intermittent fasting: My eating window is from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  I did wake up last night with a very rumbly tummy!  But then I recall something my brother said many years ago.  He told me that we often associate hunger pangs with starvation and poverty.  He said he has reprogrammed his brain to imagine the growling tummy is eating the excess fat in his body! OK growling tummy - do your thing! Oh, and today is also a hooping milestone - Day 100!!!! I can't spend much more time here pondering. I have students to teach and a vocal recital to accompany on piano. Just wanted to pop in here and...

 Hello Friends! I am so thrilled to announce that I woke up 2 lbs lighter!  This is Day 3 of Keto. 3 lbs lost in 3 days! Day 99 of daily hooping!  I also fasted for 16 hours last night.  I am woman, hear me roar! And yet another accomplisment:   Yesterday at work, I ran up the stairs. Later I ran down. Then I stopped in amazement. I have been using the elevator most days for the past year. Especially descending.  When I do go down the stairs. I do a crab walk, sideways, one step at a time to avoid causing my knees pain. Well, there was no knee pain yesterday!  I forgot about my knees. What knees? WOOT WOOT!! I did however, suffer from mild anxiety and massive insomnia last night.  Ah, 'tis a tough thing to be mortal. For today, I am grateful for my life and focusing on the positive! This was my first meal of the day:  Scrambled egg, ham rolled with cream cheese and spinach, veggies.  (I didn't eat the carrots) Here is today's video:...

 Hello Friends! My life is a whirlwind this time of year. Not only is it holiday season, it is also recital season! I am currently planning two live piano student recitals, and one Zoom piano student recital. In addition, I have a rehearsal for a vocal student recital I am accompanying, followed by a vocal recital the next day,  But wait! There's more!  I am also accompanying a choir concert! Huff, puff, wheeze! And my asthma has flared up a bit.  I was intending on taking a nap before I went in for choir practice the other day, but I was informed the choir director was ill and asked if I would lead! I was frankly too tired to get nervous. Our concert is next week and they needed me! Choir practice went very well, by the way! :) I am sitting at my laptop. putting together programs for the piano recitals. Then I will get a little piano practice in before I depart to go teach. A lot going on!  I also have 6 grandmonkies I watch every week and 1 on the way!\ No res...