Monday 31 December 2012

Whole30 ROUND 2! Day 31

Here it is! The interview with the husbie about his Whole30 adventure. We were both successful and 100% compliant for our adventure. He is lengthening his Whole30 to a Wholewhatever (basically whenever he leaves for work). I had fun doing the interview but not transcribing the damn thing and doing the interview made me realize that we could do a pretty funny podcast or whatever the hell those things are called he has such a lovely deep voice and he sounds quite Canadian at times (although I don't think he said "eh" at any point during the interview). Anything in * * is my notes on what was going on in the interview or a clarification of something he said and the whole thing is verbatim. So without further ado, the interview.

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MVJ: Just so you know, you are on record and anything you say can and will be used on my blog.

Husbie: great

MVJ: So, give the people an idea of what your diet was before starting your Whole30

Husbie: One word says crap, otherwise... I was working out of town for 2 months that said I was eating lots of fast food primarily A&W and restaurants like Smitty's in fact I was eating lunch at Smitty's everyday....greasy ass eggs and bacon and I was getting rye toast with butter, it was never dry...anyway

MVJ: And what were you drinking?

Husbie: Oh I was going through I would say the equivalent of 4 litres-ish of pop in a week ummm and I was probably going through about 7 large double doubles in a week as well as water would have been maybe a litre of water a day... maybe.

MVJ: So it's fair enough to say that you were doing the Standard American Diet?

Husbie: Sure...but I'm Canadian

MVJ: right

Husbie: I don't give a shit about them Americans *he's lying, love you America!*

MVJ: Did you have any preconceived notions about what the Whole30 was? I mean I kinda forced it on you but...

Husbie: I don't know if I would say preconceived, I just was pissed I came home and all my shit I had bought was gone...so I didn't really have a....I had a choice but I didn't really have a choice so....I didn't really have any views on it. You were slowly hinting to me about it before I came home after about me being gone for a month that things were going to changing around here so.

MVJ: What was the hardest thing for you to give up?

Husbie: Uhhhh control...control over just not being able to freely eat anything that I wanted like...I mean I love veggies right, I used to take upwards of like 4lb of vegetables a day for lunch when I was working in town so veggies have never been really been a concern so that at least is good but giving up control...sugar, loosing it obviously sucks, like all sweeteners but...

MVJ: What was the easiest thing to give up?

Husbie: *munches his salad thoughtfully* I dunno...I wouldn't say anything was really easy...yeah

MVJ: What things were helpful for you or what could you have not been successful without?

Husbie: Mayo

MVJ: Mayo....ok....anything else?

Husbie: Celestial Tea *he means compliant Celestial Seasonings teas*. The teas helped me transition from pop and get me off of it. Whenever I felt the need for something flavourful I went to  he herbal tea and I drank a lot of it but for me it satisfied the crave like I could.. even right now I could even  feel Pepsi going down my throat and it being a good thing even though I know it's not but like whenever I got that kind of a feeling I would have hafta...I would hafta have a tea...so tea...tea saved me as far as sugary beverages go.

MVJ: You really seem to have internalized a lot of the science and the psychology of the Whole30 so what is "Sex With Your Pants On"?

Husbie: You're not supposed to quiz me here...you were just supposed to ask questions....not quiz and test and give me a final passing mark *munches more salad* Enjoying something like from your old style like pancakes made with...uhhhhh....I guess there's...Is there dairy in pancakes? *pauses* Well there is definitely wheat or grains of some kind...so anyway...but like taking...oh what did that person say? *pauses* something about eggs..... and bacon or something like that and mixing it together *he is getting confused about a conversation on paleo-ified pancakes on the forum* and it is basically working out to pancakes *pauses* it's...it's bad *laughes* cuz it...what you're doing is just...you're not really defeating anything you're just morphing a new meal into your old stuff so when you go off your "Whole30" quotations the uhhh...you haven't really fixed anything you are still eating the same food, you're just not having sugar.

MVJ: A+...What are some of the changes you have experienced? Be it physical or mental

Husbie:  Oh I wouldn't say anything mental *bowl scrapping, salad finishing*....my heartburn is to date I'm uhhhh...what day am I? 29 or 30?

MVJ: 30

Husbie: so on Day 30 I haven't had heartburn once, where as before it was regular ocurance at least twice a day sometimes it was more than that I would to go through a lot of Tums, extra strength...lots of them. My headaches are almost completely gone and those were pretty, pretty regular... now I just think that I'm not drinking enough water and that's why I'm not...that's why the headaches are here when they come. I think...I can count them there were at least 3 occurances, that I've been on that I've had a headache, but that's fine.

MVJ: 3 headaches since you've been on a Whole30?

Husbie: yes

MVJ: Ok. What would you have...What is your advice for others beginning a Whole30?

Husbie; HA! *laughs* get ready to spend some money! *laughs again* I was...I was warned that by Day 21 to 25 life is going to suck basically. Unfortunately I didn't I didn't go through that *I think he meant fortunately*. I didn't struggle with that, my struggle was on day 1 and 2 or it was day 2 and 3 but those were by far the worst. After that it's pretty much been, I've been the same...I had maybe around maybe day 9 a bit of a sluggish but whatever. The basic gist is like anything else, if you want to do it, just do it. When you go through your downs.... I mean you're not the only one and remember why you're doing. If I had caved I would have caved on day 2 so far that had been my worst day so...I got nothing else to say.

MVJ: Awww I love you mushmush. Thank you hubbie for sharing your experience with me and the MVJ Diaries readers. I love you and I'm so proud of you.

Husbie: Thank you...can I have a Halls now?

MVJ: NO!
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Watch tomorrow for my "Best of 2012" post where I recap all the best crap that happened, I did or bought in 2012.

Sunday 30 December 2012

Whole30: DAY 30 *happy dance*

VICTORY IS MINE!!! I don't think it's a bit premature to celebrate my 30 (or the 1/3rd of the way point in this W100 adventure). It's not like I will be face planting in Mt.Dew, Funyuns and donuts tomorrow. This is just my chance to be proud and recap my Whole30 because tomorrow y'all will be getting the husbie's success story (I am so excited to interview him, he really is a funny guy...if you know him IRL, you're lucky). I have decided to do my BIA at the end of my Whole100. I wish I could do one now but you know....life. I don't even know where I could weigh myself. I am curious but honestly, it doesn't really matter how much I weigh. Whole30 isn't about weight loss...which a concept that seems to be completely lost on all the fatties that have made their way over the forum. People listing their goals with weight loss being the #1 goal...not health...not an improved relationship with food, but weight loss. Whole30 isn't a diet, it is a complete lifestyle overhaul. People doing it just to drop pounds or fit into jeans are the same people that will post "WOE IS ME...I back slid right after my Whole30 and now I am eating shit again" DUH...you treated it like a diet not a permanent lifestyle change and thought you could have "X" in moderation. All those failures show that there is no such thing as moderation as most people just end up binging their faces off post-W30...like what was the point of working hard for 30 days just to go back to your old unhealthy ways? Oh right...because all you wanted to do was be skinny, not healthy.

So without further slander of most of the population....

MVJ'S WHOLE30 RECAP:

Why I was Sucessful:

- I was successful because I was conscious of EV-ER-Y-THING! To me the basis of a W30 is consciousness. Every.single.time a hand with food or drink goes to your mouth you should be thinking "Am I hungry?" "What is in this?" "Is this a good food choice?" Consciousness and responsibility, 2 sides of the same coin. This is your life....person up!!!

- I was successful because I didn't abuse nuts and fruit. This might be the single biggest problem I see with W30ers...binging on "compliant junk food" just because nuts and fruit are compliant doesn't mean they still can't be food without brakes. I think they are HEAVILY abused and really should only be eaten sparingly. Eating fruit when you are craving sugar is doing nothing to change your relationship with food. You are just replacing something bad with something compliant which is not what a W30 is about.

- I was successful because I went in with a plan. I wanted to change my life so I did, I didn't wait until a month long parade of shit food was over, I just fucking did it AT THE HARDEST TIME OF THE YEAR! fuck yeah there were cravings but I dealt with them like a fucking boss instead of caving like a bitch and letting shit food win

- I was successful because I didn't make excuses...not a one. You either find a way or your find excuses ("I don't have time to _______", "I don't have the money to ________, "I could never give up ______" excuses excuses excuses)

- I was successful because I made this priority #1 in my life...not convenience, not partying, not holiday shit. This was always priority #1

- I was successful because I did it as an overall health and lifestyle change...not some "kick" or fad

- I was successful because I planned and planned and planned

- I was successful because I read fucking labels....read the fuckers!

- I was successful because I knew what to look for while reading those labels. Going in without knowledge or a plan is a sure fire way to fail fail fail hard. I don't fail. Make a plan or as a smart lady once said "failing to plan, is planning to fail"

- I was successful because I found my tribe, my supportive community of like minded individuals. This doesn't exists IRL for me so I found it elsewhere (love you paleo interwebz fam!)

- I was successful because all the people closest to me switched over as well. I had the loving support of my husband who was also very successful and I switched our whole family.

- I was successful because my motivation and will power is strong. That shit comes from within. You can't buy it, you can't borrow it, you need to nut up. I didn't eat "a tiny bit" of something just to spare someone's feelings. STOP BEING A PEOPLE PLEASER. No one will die if you say no to something.

Happy Changes:

- Decreased cravings for shit food...they still happen but they are few and far between and I know how to deal with them...nothing controls me but me

- I eat 3 only times a day and can go long stretches between meals

- One of my goals was to eat at the table more, I am a "counter eater" and I have been successful at eating at the table more often (still needs work, but I am on it)

- I eat tons but never ever have I felt that stuffed full fat pants feeling...not once, just happy full even if I have eaten slightly more than I should have.

- I look forward to my morning shot of coconut oil instead of needing to dip fruit in it or cringing as I take the shot

- I am in ketosis most of the time now...horray for running on fat!

- I have slayed the caffeine beast. Tim Horton's is a thing of the past and green and black teas will only be occassionals. The only caffeine I consume now is the small amount in my 3oz daily glass of 'booch. This is amazing considering I was T-Ho's addict.

- I am well on my way to slaying my sugar dragon and I have come to the realization that sugar is a drug for me. I am a sugar addict and I will always be. There is no room in my diet for sugary treats, not even "in moderation" (I have talked about how "in moderation" is a crock of shit)

- Being waaaay more in tune with my body....this helped me realize that nuts are no good for me

- I have seriously branched out on the foods me and my family eat. Organ meat and bone broth are staples in this very happy, healthy paleo house.

- I am slim slim approaching buff skinny. Not my intention but definitely a result. I am a 26-27 waist in jeans and an extra small in yoga shorts. Clothes that were too small are now too big!
 
Things that were different for me:

These aren't failures just things that I experienced differently than most on a Whole30

- The rage monster...I have mentioned this before but an unexpected side effect of MY W30 was unleashing a rage monster. This is not typical just what I experienced. I know that I need to move myself vigorously twice a day to keep it in the cage.

- Sleep...Most people report a vastly improved sleep. Me, not so much. I do get about a 4 hour uninterrupted stretch now but that's it. The only time I sleep like a baby is when I swim for 75 minutes before bed (I cannot WAIT for my pool to reopen)

- Nuts...nuts and me are not friends.They make me feel bloated, gross and "heavy". I only eat a small portion of nuts maybe once every 2 weeks.

- Skin...my skin did not get better or worse. Hot yoga gives me all the benefits that others report on a W30, dewy, glowing...whatever the hell those things mean.

- Hunger cues...I am only ever hungry in the morning, after that I know that I need to eat around noon-ish and then dinner-ish but I never feel physical hunger cues past my morning ones. I thought at the beginning when my hormones sorted themselves out that the hunger cues would come on appropriately, they do not. This is fine I just need to remember to eat (sounds nutters, I know!)

This is all I can think of right now. I am super pleased with my 100% compliant Whole30 and I am looking forward to really feeling the magic in the coming months.



Saturday 29 December 2012

Whole30: Day 29 (on the eve of 30)

So close and so 100% compliant. I'll try to keep my smugness to myself....or not. I'm damn proud of myself and my husbie and I have no problem shouting that from the roof tops. I am already starting to feel my eye get twitchy with the impending start of the new year when people make a bunch of half assed health and fitness promises that don't actually mean shit. Every single person has the ability to start changing their lives right this second but most people don't have the balls or ladyballs to follow through with any meaningful, lasting change (hello yo-yo dieting!). Or people are all "I'll start on the first" then commence binging away until then....ummm hello? haven't you been eating poorly for a long time and stuffing yourself with shit the whole Christmas season? Thought so...good luck with your fad diet.

I have felt the twitchy eye while perusing the forum with all the ridiculousness that is already being posted. I have had to step away a few time from giving someone the proverbial bitch slap. Whatever, it's their Whole30 to bungle....not my life. I just keep on keepin' on with 100% compliance, being healthy and looking fine.

I'm not getting paid to say this shit (I wish I was!) but if you really are interested in a Whole30, I HIGHLY recommend reading "It Starts With Food" (lovingly abbreviated as ISWF). I devoured the whole book in a day and I plan on reading it again before the 1st just to make sure I am 100% sure on program (I am but I'm a keener!). Buy it, borrow it... but don't steal it. Reading the book helps you internalize the science and psychology behind the program and why it is exactly the way it is. I think 75% of the dumb ass forum questions could be avoided with a little self-knowledge adventure. Why would you undertake something without knowing what's up? Because you just want to be skinny, not healthy...wrong mind frame totally...you will yo-yo...good luck with that!

This is the book...GO...NOW... GET IT! And no you cannot borrow my copy. I no longer lend any of my books out.


Alright alright *UNICORNS POOING RAINBOWS* laaaaaaaaaaaa happyhappyhappy

Check out this super cool adult coloring book I got from Indiana for Christmas...NOT ADULT LIKE THAT...get your filthy filthy minds out the gutter you sick monkeys! A shoe coloring book!


A whole book of shoooooze for me to color! I love it! Indiana, you are da best lady. I plan on doing some serious coloring soon!


We had elk steaks for dinner last night, they were HUGE 1.5lbs for just 2 steaks....MEATNOMNOMNOM!


 We used the lamb and game rub on them, it was good but a little too heavy on the rosemary for my liking. I like to taste the gamey-ness of the meat but I might be in the minority here. I am still bbqing in the dark and doing a lot of guess work. It is super easy to overcook elk, so DON'T! I just barely didn't but it was close. Don't you love my old lady plates? they were also recused from the trash...don't judge!


Check out the freaky mother on the top of my 'booch. It looked like someone sneezed on my drink. The bottle says not to shake it but all the mother-y strands settle to the bottom so I have no idea how to get them into every glass instead of having a mega mother-y final glass. FYI: this stuff is fine to drink and it is where the magic is.


I have been practicing my hand wraps so I can hit the heavy bag. I want to start doing some boxing inspired workouts. I'm already awesome with the jump rope now I just gotta get my Rocky on!


I convinced husbie to do an interview style recap about his Whole30 adventures...that should be extra special and entertaining so watch for that in the next few days.

Friday 28 December 2012

Whole30: Day 28

So apparently I forgot to show you all the crap we got from the froufrou food store. I got more Sea Snax in toasty onion flavour AND they are large sheets. The last ones I got were the little sheets. I love them, husbie hates them. They ARE strangely addictive.


4 very non-creepy pronounceable ingredients


These were husbie's picks....spice mixes. I am so going to make my own based on their ingredients list. We are going to use the game rub on the massive elk steaks we have.




This didn't come from the health food store. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free tea. I hadn't bought a new tea in awhile so I figured we would give this one a go.


3 ingredients!


Husbie opened the box, squinched up his face then passed the box to me for a whiff...it smelled like flavoured tobacco! We bought thought so...tres bizzare. I made us up some cups and while it tasted better than it smelled it still has a tobacco-y hint to it (we are both former smokers). I just asked him to describe the tea and he said "not very good". We won't be getting this tea again. Who wants to come over for tea?

We ordered some coconut aminos online just before Christmas because it is no wheres to be found in this whole city, I called all the froufrou store and no one had it. Well it finally arrived today! I really do love my mailman, he leaves our packages by the front door if we aren't home to receive them which is awesome otherwise he has to leave a tag and we can't pick it up until the next day. I'm impatient dammit! It was waiting for us when we got home from produce shopping. I was kinda worried since it's a liquid shipped in a glass bottle across the country but it was packed mega mega well with lots of indication on what was inside and tons of foam peanuts. FRA-GEEEEE-LEEE...it must be Italian.


This is the deliciousness. I poured a small amount in a pinch bowl so we could try. Verdict...delicious and similar to soy sauce but not and not nearly as creepy...in fact totally compliant. MIL got us a g.c for sushi for Christmas. We usually go for sushi on our anniversary but since that will be during my Whole100 we will just push it back a month or so. We are saving money on not eating out, not that we ate out a lot anyways but we would have sushi every couple months or so. Now we will bring our own aminos to have instead of soy...we are totes going to be "those" people.


 One of the big differences between Canada and the U.S is the amount of eating out that occurs. I am sure there are exceptions to this but eating out in the U.S is NBD, happens like 5 times a week at the minimum if not more (usually more). Maybe I grew up poor (I did) but eating out was always always a big deal and it still is. My grandfather was the only one who took us to McDonald's at that was a  rarity. I recall going to a sit down restaurant when I was younger, nothing uber fancy but since we never did it I always thought it was mega swanky (I always ordered chicken fingers). Living in the states opened me up to the huge cultural difference in food. Interestingly enough, when I lived in the States that was the only other time in my adult life where I lost a huge amount of weight (30lbs to be exact). There is a culture of fat that exists there, eating at home is more the rarity instead of vice versa.

Now what the hell was I talking about? OH RIGHT! Look at mah new chapsticks! I know right...you're thinking "MJ, you have a problem...that's 4 since October!" Yes yes it is, thank you for counting. I blame it on my Mama, she had the one on the right so I needed to have it. I couldn't find that specific one at the store I was at so I bought a different one but wasn't satisfied with that one I NEEDED MORE...MOAR!!! (I am fully aware of my addictive personality, please don't come over with an eight ball thanks). I love the cool circle sphere shape...lip chap IN A FREAKING SPHERE! I need to shake someone's hand. Mmmmm minty.


The Aquafina one is so crappy it doesn't have a flat base and I had to rest it on a spice lid....stupid crappy lip chap. This one is for the beasts so they don't slobber all over my good one.


Just for feces and chuckles I decided to round up as many chapsticks as I could find. BEHOLD!


They all have different functions...the DCT Blistex has SPF20 and I wear it while tanning, the Rosebud salve is good for hands, lips and cheeks, I never liked the Olivina one...it's made with olive oil and smells waaaaay too much like it and leaves a weird taste in your mouth (not that I am eating it, but a tiny bit does get in your mouth), Burt's Bees is awesome, I like the original minty flavor.

If you thought I had a chapstick problem, my chapstick problem PALES in comparison to my to-go vessel addiction. The last one I bought was the kiddie David's Tea one and that was like 2 months ago....2 MONTHS! I was getting shaky and sweaty I NEEDED A FIX! There were a few that had caught my eye but nothing I pulled the trigger on until this one. It was ON SALE too! *angel music*.


The best part of this bottle is the fact that you can unscrew the top part to add ice or to clean all the moldy junk out of it. I love a to-go vessel with a gimmick. Of course husbie didn't deny me but he insisted that I clean out my to-go vessel cupboard because it is getting a bit crowded when he tries to put the glasses away. In my defense, I did buy an awesome cup in the fall that I thrashed in about 6 weeks so that one doesn't even really count. This one will not go to yoga with me because I hate having to open a lid to get a drink in the hot room. I prefer a straw cup or my David's Tea kiddie mug (Bodum brand) which has a twisty lid that I just leave undone for easy sipping. Lazy hydration at it's best.


Speaking of yoga,  I snapped these on the way to yoga. Yin was so restorative last night (awesome class Leslee!)



Totally taking down the Christmas tree tonight...I am so over Christmas until the insanity starts next October. I am ready for the new year, I have a feeling it is going to be a good one and I am working on my Top 10 of 2012 to share with y'all.


Thursday 27 December 2012

Whole30: Day 27

Holy poopers are my calves STILL ever sore! A billion flights of stairs is no joke. I was so sore yesterday that I soaked my legs in an epsom salts bath. It didn't really do squat for my legs but soaking in an epsom salt bath is a good way to get magnesium not via food (most people are magnesium deficient).


I also took off my chipped and haggard Christmas themed polish and put a chunky glitter on nude nails. I like how it looks but because of the chunkiness of the glitter it's a bitch to put on



This is a "yoga octopus"...see? doesn't it look like a little octopus sitting on my head? I do it up so high other wise it gets in the way when laying is savasana. Sweet yoga octopus, I heart you


Husbie and I ventured out for a bit of shopping. First stop...the thrift store, my most favorite place ever! I never get bored of going here and I can always find something I want/that is cool. I found this cool wooden luggage. I am on a luggage buying ban. I have a thing for vintage luggage and have like 8 pieces. Husbie had angrily threatened me (not really) that I can't buy anymore since we just don't have the space. It smelled like the living history museum when I opened it up...like musty and old and something else


Me think someone might have gotten divorced and this hand made token of love got given away...infinity eh? Maybe if you had given her diamonds and not a wooden bench y'all would still be together....not sayin' just sayin'


I always love to shop for jeans at the thrift store. Tons of brands all in one store and someone has done all the hard work of breaking them in. The downside...you find one pair for every 40 you try on but I needed some jeans so I went in for the hunt and I was not disappointed. I am between a size 5 and a size 3...crappers!! I also noticed that as the waist got smaller the jean length got shorter too. I am 5'8" so not an amazon beast by any standards but tons were rejected because they looked like damn flood pants! Tall-ish chicks can have small waists too ya know!

I tried on about 40-ish pairs and came away with some real winner! Winner #1 MUTHAFUCKING APPLE BOTTOM JEANS! AT THE THRIFT STORE! You KNOW I was singing the song as I was trying them on. I have an Apple Bottoms purse but no jeans...until now! They are mega skin tight but I love them! There are cute little thingies all over them.


Haha "delicious" on the zipper flap

 


The booty of course is the best part. I love the tiny apple on the right pocket and the tiny apple pocket on the left, it's actually a tiny mini pocket...like could hold a dime and that's it.


And it goes all the way into the big pocket...so cute!


Apple Bottom jeans...boots with the furs!


 Blurry booty shot....it's hard to take a picture of your own booty!


I got a pair of Guess jeggings....sooooper soft and stretchy


And a pair of American Eagle "regular" jeans. The ABs are mega skiny tight skinny jeans, the Guess ones are jeggins and the AE ones are just normal jeans, bootcut is the term? I don't know. 3 pairs of jeans were less than $30 and the Apple Bottoms were half of that total. There was also a pair of G-Unit jeans that I was too large for. Thrift store for jeans...I'm telling you!


I found this shirt in the kids section...I just shook my head...no wonder everyone is fat. In case you though this shirt to be truth, french fries are indeed NOT a vegetable.


After the thrift store we hit up the frou frou health food store. We don't shop here lots, just for specialty products I can't really get anywhere else. They had some lovely nut oils but of course lovely nut oils come with a hefty price tag. That avocado oil wouldn't last 2 batches of mayo and I don't do "finishing oils"



COMPLIANT CANNED TOMATOES! This can was more expensive than just buying tomatoes and blanching them but it's good to know they exist.


These were them if you were curious


I scoped out the nut and seed butter. This is a jar of SunButter which is a brand of sunflower seed butter. IT IS NOT COMPLIANT and has creepies!


This is the sunflower seed butter I buy, the brand is Nuts To You and it's a Canadian company. I don't eat a lot of it but it is good to have on hand


Notice the lack of creepies....hmmm one ingredient, what a concept!


Not compliant but AH-MAZ-BALLS! I have half a jar of this squirreled away in my pantry. I bought it for husbie about 2 months ago as a treat (peanuts are a legume, a W30 no-no and peanuts produce an auto-immune response in the body). It's not compliant and does contain sugar but it has only like 5 pronounceable ingredients. This brand also makes a hot chili PB, a maple PB, a cinnamon PB and few others.


Creepy gold glitter Santa on the massive fake tree in the store. I love him and wanted to put him in my pocket!


The store also had 'BOOCH! Or Kombucha as most people know it. It's a fermented tea drink that is pretty much all the rave amongst the paleo set so I had to try it. Plus, y'all know I am trying to get more fermenteds into my diet and I hate 'kraut. This brand and flavour came highly recommended.


This was my pick, I like berry flavoured anything. I poured myself a small glass about 3oz worth. You are supposed to start off small with the 'booch, no chugging a whole bottle or it can go right through your if your gut health isn't good. My gut health is amazing (thank you bone broth!) but these bottles aren't cheap so I plan on using the 'booch like a treat medicine. It's naturally carbonated and fizzy like a pop from the fermenting. This one tasted like a berry flavoured water and a vinegar had a baby that got left in the sun for a week...but in a good way! Husbie hated it. It didn't occur to me that the 'booch contains caffeine until half way through my small glass. OOPS! Granted the amount of caffeine in the 'booch is small, I guess I consumed about 10mg of caffeine (a cup of regular coffee is like 110mg) not a lot but my caffeine-free streak ended on Day 27. Fear not! Caffeine IS ALLOWED I was just choosing to not have it but all the talk of 'booch got me all excited. I didn't feel wired or jittery or have a headache or anything strange but I will be limiting my 'booch consumption to 3oz/day before 1pm so as to avoid any potential keeping me awake it might do. My plan for the new year is to MAKE MY OWN 'BOOCH! It pretty much is the final frontier now that I have made bone broth and dove into organ meat. How to make 'booch? You can buy a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacterial yeast) or you can grow one from a bottled 'booch. You feed it regular tea and some sugar (you need sugar, it's what the SCOBY eats and there is very little in the final product, you can do a second ferment if you want) and let it do its thing is a dark cupboard for a week...fermenteds are fun! Watch for those in the new year. I plan on fermenting lemons too...again since I hate 'kraut and cabbage in general.


I also went ahead and bought a small craft batch of organic balsamic vinegar. This brand is froufrou and it was on sale so the timing was perfect!


Only ingredients....organic balsamic vinegar
 

It came with a spritz top so I spritzed some directly into my mouth...it was pretty damn good!


Picked up a few other essentials for the paleo kitchen...Braggs raw apple cider vinegar. Pre-paleo a friend told that if you drink this in water it would help with fat loss. 2 tbsps in 16oz of water. I tried it once, I thought it was awful (it actually kinda tasted like kombucha) then the small bottle I bought sat for almost 2 years, then I became paleo and burned through that tiny bottle in a few weeks. Now I buy the big litre bottle because I use it in lots of stuff; mayo, dressing, bone broth, random recipes. It has "the mother" in it which just means it has these weird floaties....the weird floaties are the good shit. This bottle lasts about a month.


This is my coconut oil. It tastes very coconuty. I made my eggs with it once and almost yacked....so freaking gross! A.C says you can buy coconut oil that doesn't taste like coconut but I have yet to find any but I use tallow a lot for cook so I don't really need to hunt for it. It goes liquid at like 23 degrees so mine is liquid. I pour a 1oz shot every morning and I toss it back before I eat my breakfast. Farmers fed their cows coconut oil to fatten them up and the cows actually lost weight!! Fat for weight loss.... IMAGINE THAT! This jar last about a month also.