First Week on the GD Diet

    

     No, that GD doesn't stand for what you might have immediately thought, but that's how I sometimes feel about it (not really). If you've been reading, you're well aware of my disgusting disgruntling twelve pound gain at my week twenty-four appointment last Monday. Due to the advice of a friend, I requested a copy of the gestational diabetic diet sheet for expectant women and began following it that afternoon, as high weight gain was a concern of mine from the beginning of my pregnancy. Both my sisters gained more than triple the amount of weight a pregnant woman should healthily gain while they were expecting their daughters. Although they only had themselves to blame (and they admit it now), I saw how miserable and uncomfortable they were during their pregnancies and for a while after. It took my oldest sister years to slim back down after having my niece. When I announced I was pregnant, both of them came to me, begging me to practice better habits while pregnant than they did. Eating for two is dead, they told me. You don't want to go through what we did. When the scale moved twelve pounds forward at my last appointment, it was enough to put this whole pregnancy into perspective. I had still been going to the gym four or five times a week, but I knew that I hadn't been eating like I should. Because I'm human, I don't mind admitting that there have been times where I have consumed nearly an entire sleeve of DoubleStuf Oreos because What's it matter? I'm pregnant! Two weekends ago, I was in an Italian wedding; I feasted on nothing but carbs for three days, and I loved every minute of it--probably because I didn't realize what I was doing to myself. My last appointment, however, was just what I needed to permanently snap out of that mentality. I can't do it to my body, and I definitely cannot do it to Vaught's.

     So, I asked for a copy of the diet sheet my doctor gives to women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes during their pregnancies (he was thrilled that I was taking the initiative) even though I won't know if I have GD for another two weeks.This first week at it has been a little tough, but by following the 2,000-2,200 calorie per day meal plan, I've realized just how much I had been consuming before without even realizing it and have even shed some of that gain (safely and healthily!)

     After looking at the diet sheet my doctor gave me, I realized I'd have to find some replacements for a few of the items (like catfish-blah). This is the grocery list I came up with. The things marked "DT" are items I can purchase at the Dollar Tree near my house. Sorry not sorry--Dollar Tree is the stuff.

     Obviously, the GD diet doesn't call for a  lot of fruits. Although they're full of natural sugars, the good kind that our bodies need, a large component of this diet is cutting way back on sugar altogether. And consuming very little of it in the morning, I noticed! It's also generally low carb. I can't stand when people say they're on a no-carb diet. Um, hello? I'm no fitness expert, but I know that our bodies require some carbs in there! But lowering your carb intake a little can never hurt. 

My girl, LC, drinks milk :)

     I made a few changes of my own, such as with the milk. I am a milk guzzler. Growing up, we drank 2% at my house, and between me, my dad, and my brother we went through two gallons per week. In my own home, a gallon usually lasts me a little more than a week, but when I was going through my major cereal phase, I had to get a gallon and a half nearly every weekend! And please don't tell me I shouldn't drink it; I can't stand the you should only drink almond/soy/organic milk fad, and yes, I personally believe it is a fad unless you're lactose intolerant or one of those people who would just rather pay double the price for organic food. Amy Pohler says it best in Baby Mama: "That stuff's for rich people who hate themselves." People have been drinking milk for centuries, and it's not killed anyone. And if it has, I'm willing to take my chances.

Sorry. Anyway, I refuse to drink skim milk. It's okay in cereal, but when drinking it out of a glass, it just tastes like white water. Ew. So I've switched to 1%. Typically twenty less calories per serving and a tad less sugar :) I apologize for getting on my soap box about milk, but I once went grocery shopping with a friend who took my gallon of 2% out of the shopping cart (without asking me), and replaced it with a carton of Silk, smiled at me and said, "You'll never be healthy drinking that stuff."  

It put a more sour taste in my mouth than milk ever could.

 

     The diet also calls for catfish for a few of the dinners. I like fish okay in general, but catfish just isn't something kept in the Pace household; we are chicken, turkey, and beef people! However, I can eat an entire can of tuna completely raw. Disgusting, I know! I add in a boiled egg, just a little bit of mayo, a dash of salt, and some pepper. Tuna sandwiches are always yummy!

     Turkey bacon::: I finally gave it a try a little over a year ago. Since then, we've not purchased regular bacon (unless it's just at a really good price)! Although we are big-time lovers of "real bacon," my husband and I both love how much healthier and cheaper turkey bacon is, as well as how good it tastes when seasoned with a little pepper. Seriously, I cannot tell a big difference at all except for the texture. Although you can have real bacon on the GD diet, I'm sticking with turkey bacon for now. Twenty-five calories/slice versus 90 calories/slice!

    I've also almost completely ditched Coca Cola, one of my most favorite things in the world!! I did have half a can Friday afternoon though :) Other than that, I have drank nothing but water all week long. I may love Coca Cola, but I also reeeeally love water too! For years when I was younger water was all I drank, and when I got older Coke was my beverage of choice only when dining out. I feel like I've drank more in my adulthood than I have in my entire life before! It's hard at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on a busy week day when an ice cold Sonic Coke would be the most amazing thing for a tired mama. And speaking of mama, mine doesn't help much when she sends me out of the office around three in the afternoon on a Sonic Coke run! But the swelling in my ankles and wrists has been almost non-existent since I've switched to water. That's motivation to keep chugging the H20!

     Once again, around the end of April, I returned to my almost-daily trips to Starbucks for hot lattes or a frappucino that often added an extra 300-400 calories to my daily intake. I'm proud to say I've not been to Starbucks in a few days, except for Friday morning; I cannot do my Friday morning without a hot, end-of-the-week latte! But instead of the cinnamon dolce, I ordered a double tall skinny vanilla. It was surprisingly good! I know I'll never be able to cut Starbucks completely out of my life (I'm a coffee enthusiast after all), but I do plan on making the switch to non-fat and sugar free concoctions. That mocha cookie crumble frappucino is just going to have to be an every once in a while treat! 

     Isn't it kind of ironic how every time you aim to make your eating habits a little healthier someone around you shows up with cookies, brownies, or blueberry muffins?  I work at a land office in north Mississippi, and last week our representatives from our Georgia office were here visiting. One of the them baked homemade blueberry muffins the second day they were here. I had to have one; it was amazing!

       I overslept one day and desperately needed some coffee. I stopped at McDonald's for a latte, but their machine was down (surprise, surprise). So I supplemented with a strawberry sweet tea from Sonic. If you've not had one of these, you're missing out! They're amazing!!!! I like the unsweet version too, but I just had to have a little sugar! 

                    

  Cooking supper this past week has been a fun experience; by Thursday, my husband was sooo sick of baked chicken and vegetables. The picture below is from Thursday night I believe. By then, I was running out of veggies and just threw this together.

     I'm one of those rare people who love to grocery shop! Target has the BEST packages of chicken breasts ever! Each serving is 4-6 ounces, and comes pre-seasoned with garlic and herbs and all sorts of other great spices! So on Wednesday afternoon I left work and headed straight for Target. I got all of the below for under $25. Their marketplace is typically a bit pricier than grocery stores, but they always have great deals on certain items, so I got what I could for a bargain. 

     They had boxes upon boxes of granola bars for $1.20/box and large bottles of Smart Water for just $1! I also stocked the freezer on some frozen veggies (I prefer fresh produce, but frozen's good to have on hand).

     We also have a couple of "fruit guys" that stop by our office once a week, their trucks loaded down with locally grown fruits and vegetables. They're such sweet guys, and they always have great deals on their produce! I always stock up when they visit! They usually have some of the best peaches and strawberries that you could never find in a grocery store!

     As I said, Eric was so sick of chicken and veggies by Thursday, he had me make a reservation for the two of us at Texas de Brazil in Memphis for Friday night. If you've never been to TdB, pleeeeease put it on your bucket list! We try to go once every couple of months, and it always helps to be a loyal follower of their email list :)

On our way to TdB in Memphis :))

      I thought it would be especially hard sticking to it over the weekend, but it was surprisingly easy. When I'm hit with a hard craving, I just think to myself healthy mama, healthy baby. It makes making healthy choices so much easier. So, since last Tuesday (technically Monday evening, lol), I have felt ten times better! I feel lighter and less bloated. And I know I am because my scale today is still showing a loss of about six-seven pounds. I think the water-only switch has made all the difference in the world; I can't believe how little my feet swell now! I'm becoming a quite a big fan of the GD diet and am glad I began following it at twenty-five weeks. I may be saying "diet" now, but I know that this would be a great meal plan to stick with as I transition back into a permanently healthy lifestyle once Vaught arrives. After all, healthy is a lifestyle, not a diet, right? :)  

     I have been writing, adding to, and taking away from this post for a little more than a week now, so for once I'm exhausted with the blogosphere tonight! But again, I want to say thank you for reading and to those who are loyally coming back. I know I probably annoy the heck out of  my Instagram and Twitter followers with my blog posts, but it sparks curiosity which sparks interest which sparks enthusiasm and a willingness to keep coming back. I really appreciate all of you who are reading.

 

Look for my Week 26 Update this Thursday!

What It Is & What It Isn't

     No, I'm not trying to rap here. I'm talking about this blog. Since I've made it public to my family and friends, and social network acquaintances, I've gotten a lot of positive feedback, which I love. But I've also received a lot of questions too:

"Well, what's the purpose of it?"

 "Do you just talk about your life?"

 "Is it a blog about your pregnancy?"

 "Who is your audience?" 

     It's hard to answer it all to so many different people, so I decided to write a "brief" history of my blog, followed by an explanation of its role in my life now, to maybe clear up some of these common Q's.

     When I started the blog in 2010, it went by a different name, and I wrote entries about college and sorority life mainly. I've deleted many of those entries now because I would also talk about the nutcase of a roommate I had at the time and an unnamed friend who was suffering from an eating disorder (not negatively, just in general). I sounded so vain and immature sometimes. I would never release my full name or where I lived; it was like an online diary, I guess. I didn't really filter anything I wrote. 

     I grew bored with the blogging world and didn't really mess with it for nearly three years, but in the summer of 2013 (precisely a year ago), I came back with intentions of making this domain a health and fitness blog where I could journal new healthy recipes and smoothie mixes I was trying. I had also planned to begin blogging my workouts, which were pretty intense for a while, and list my muscle gain and fat loss along the way, but I never got around to it. Once again, I suppose I just lost interest.

     When I discovered I was pregnant, I came back to it and renamed the blog "Keeping Pace." One of the main questions I've been asked, even from my husband, is why Keeping Pace? What does the name mean? Well, if you're keeping pace, it means you're keeping up. It's a play on words; my last name is now Pace, so you're keeping up with me. Get it? Clever, I know. I decided that although I wanted to refrain from making it a blog about my pregnancy or baby, I really did want to keep the site up-to-date with interesting articles and lifestyle columns.

What it is:

      Lately, I have written a lot about my pregnancy; this is a lifestyle blog after all, and pregnancy is currently a pretty big part of my life! Plus, there's just so many interesting areas to explore with pregnancy. I really like being a member of the Baby Center community; I never post anything on the discussion boards, but I love reading the discussions and thoughts of other mothers; it gives me an inside look to how different all of our nine month journeys really are. Much of what they say inspires me for what I write about here, concerning pregnancy and children of course.
      As my life changes, so will the content of my blog. I'm really looking forward to blogging more about health and fitness once Vaught arrives and I begin working on post-baby body. I'm a seasoned runner and weight trainer, so expect some good pieces on that in the future. I follow thirty-four week pregnant, WBFF competitor Abigail Edwards on Instagram and get a lot of my pregnancy workout ideas from her, and I would love to blog about those sometime soon. Basically though, a random thought or topic will just come to mind one day. I'll open the Blogger app on my phone and begin writing from where I am, be it in line at the grocery store or waiting in my OB's office.

     Keeping Pace is a place for me to let everything out and be 100% honest--not that I'm not in real life, but I think that we understand ourselves and our situations so much better when we're able to put them down on paper, in our own words. Yes, I know this isn't exactly paper, but you get what I'm saying. Keeping Pace is not a reveal all, tell-all, but it is the one thing that can be all about me or whatever is going on in my life at the current time. It's not like Twitter or Instagram, or dare I say Faccebook, where you don't have a choice but to see what I post or Tweet. If you're reading this, then you made an effort to come here, meaning you're interested in my life and/or what I have to say, which I LOVE. Seriously, I love how many readers I've gained since going public! Even still, you're reading truly by choice; I can put whatever I please on here, and if you grow tired of me, all you do is simply stop visiting. Because of that, I can write whatever I please. There's much that I'd rather not say on Twitter or Instagram because I don't want to offend anyone or hurt any feelings. But this blog is an open range where I feel like I can write about anything I want without having to tailor much of what I say. That's what I truly love about blogging.

What it isn't:

     As stated above, it's not my online personal diary. If you're looking for deep, dark secrets you won't find them here. This blog is not where I hang my dirty laundry, trust me :)

     My precious baby boy... I love how many celebrity gossip magazines are adopting the "No Kid Policy," meaning that they are refusing to print paparazzo photos of celebrities' children; they will only print pictures of famous children if the photos were made public by the parents (i.e.: Channing Tatum posts a picture of his little girl to Instagram with millions of followers; therefore, People Magazine is safe to use it as well). I would almost like to adopt a "No Kids Policy" with Vaught. Yes, I will post plenty of pictures of him, I'm sure, but this blog is not the place to do it. Also, I do not want, and am very adamant in this, a "Facebook baby," where it seems like my child's entire life is documented on Facebook, or any social media for that matter. Before deactivating Facebook, I vividly remember a friend of mine posting question's about her newborn son's recently circumcised penis, open for all Facebook friends to see. And people were answering her questions like it was nothing. Maybe it was okay to many of them, but I just completely disagreed with it. To each his own, but personally, I would never, ever put stuff like that out there for everyone to see. First, out of respect for my son. Secondly... it's just not what I want to see on social media. And I don't want to do that to other readers. So, this is not a place where you'll read all about my son's life as he grows and develops into the handsome little stud I know he'll be. I'm extremely personal about pictures of young children and babies being everywhere, and this definitely is not the place for that.

     A ranting page. This should be quite obvious because I don't have any posts where I'm just throwing a fit. I've seen lots of blogs like that though... the writers just seem so angry! Who wants to read that?? Some of it's entertaining, sure, but this is not the thing I'll turn to when something or someone pisses me off. Positive vibes only!

     To sum it up, Keeping Pace is one of the things I am happiest about in my life. I know that probably sounds weird, but I love writing; therefore, I really love my blog. It's a place where I can be myself without worry and a place I can connect with other bloggers. We all have interesting things to share and talk about, and I love reading about others' lives and experiences. If you're reading, then I want to encourage you to continue doing so. It makes me so happy to log on every day and see the page view tab keep going up and up. It's inspiring and makes me want to go even further with my blog. Once Baby Pace arrives, expect my entries to tailor slowly back to the "lifestyle" area, with many articles about fitness, health, and of course, post-baby body updates. I'm seriously considering enrolling in a bootcamp after baby and tracking my progress, scary as that might seem right now.

 

You're not going to see breastfeeding selfies nor any opinion articles on breastfeeding here :) You're not going to be forced to listen to me whine and complain about the hardships of being a new, young mother. Keeping Pace is a positive, happy place. And I am hopeful that you'll continue keeping up with me.