I can't actually remember, but the scale was either 165 or 165.5. I still feel like I weigh 165,000 lbs. That is better than last week where my weight peaked at 167 for the week. That 1.5-2 lb loss was not achieved through effort though. It just happened somehow.
I am stuck in survival mode right now. I have to live through 3 more days of work and school and then I get to go on vacation. I am looking forward to it in a bad way. I have not promised any of my time to anyone else for 10 days. I can't even think about the gym until I am on the trip or back home. I do plan to go 4 of the 9 days. That should be achievable. I can go the two days wer are at sea, and then pick 2 other days to go as well.
Well, I need to get cracking on work. I am so much more productive at home. I discovered that yesterday.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Totally in a Rut
Despite what Emily said, I am TOTALLY in a rut!! My weight today was 224.4 - the exact same thing as last week - wasn't it? Or maybe it is up from last week. I can't remember now and now that I am not tracking my weight daily I haven't recorded it on my charts. Sigh. I need to get back on board again too.
I need to start exercising again. I am going to the gym tonight if it KILLS me (and it just may). I am going to clean the sewing room up this weekend so my treadmill will be accessable again.
My food hasn't been bad... Or it hasn't been very much - which I think for me is bad. I think I mentioned that the nutritionist wants me to track when I feel hungry, how hungry I feel, and what I do about it. It has made me much more aware of being hungry - but it hasn't (so far) helped me to eat more during the day. At least not much. I HAVE to start eating breakfast before I leave for work again. Yesterday I didn't eat my cereal until 4:30 pm. Of course, I had eaten before that (almonds and some fresh fruit) but that isn't ANYTHING like enough calories during the day. Why can't I eat like a normal person? Then last night Katie and I went for sushi. That kept me pretty full all evening - but I had a small ice cream cone around 9pm. That was my entire consumption for the day. Basically, minimal vegetables but mostly healthy foods (except the ice cream).
I like the idea of one perfect day a week - or rotating through, which gives us closer to 1.75 perfect days a week. I think that may be enough to help get us back into some kind of good pattern.
I need to start exercising again. I am going to the gym tonight if it KILLS me (and it just may). I am going to clean the sewing room up this weekend so my treadmill will be accessable again.
My food hasn't been bad... Or it hasn't been very much - which I think for me is bad. I think I mentioned that the nutritionist wants me to track when I feel hungry, how hungry I feel, and what I do about it. It has made me much more aware of being hungry - but it hasn't (so far) helped me to eat more during the day. At least not much. I HAVE to start eating breakfast before I leave for work again. Yesterday I didn't eat my cereal until 4:30 pm. Of course, I had eaten before that (almonds and some fresh fruit) but that isn't ANYTHING like enough calories during the day. Why can't I eat like a normal person? Then last night Katie and I went for sushi. That kept me pretty full all evening - but I had a small ice cream cone around 9pm. That was my entire consumption for the day. Basically, minimal vegetables but mostly healthy foods (except the ice cream).
I like the idea of one perfect day a week - or rotating through, which gives us closer to 1.75 perfect days a week. I think that may be enough to help get us back into some kind of good pattern.
Monday, September 10, 2007
The best laid plans and all that
I haven't weighed myself since last week when I was 140.4. I'm scared to. I've only gotten to the gym once since then, and I've been eating like it's going out of style. The receptionist has a big bowl of taffy on the desk today. It's right outside of my office and she's actually out sick so I can dip into it without being observed. I've had a LOT of taffy.
"The best laid palns" refer to my inability to get to the gym. Last week was already shortened by Labor Day. I went on Wednesday (and at least I'm back up to my previous speed/distance/duration), but then spent all of Friday waiting for a woman to bring me materials for a grant that was due at 5:00. I got it turned in at 4:20. So no gym on Friday. And then I was supposed to go today, but again I was working on a deadline--had to complete a grant today so it could go to the board chair for approval when he's here at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I just turned it in, then thought "hey, it's only 3:45--I could still go to the gym." And that's when my 15 minute Outlook meeting reminder popped up, telling me about a 4:00 meeting. So no gym today. And I already know Friday is out because I'll be at a conference all day. Maybe I'll go the next three days in a row. Yeah, like that's going to happen.
Where did my motivation go? Unlike Emily, I don't have ANY good days that I can remember in the recent past. I keep eating too much. I keep not making it to the gym. If I go to the gym, I come home and have Oreos and milk. And not just a nice reasonable serving of two Oreos. I eat six. I used to be able to eat 1300 calories a day and it wasn't a big deal. How was I able to do that? Was it just will power? And if so, how do I get that back?
"The best laid palns" refer to my inability to get to the gym. Last week was already shortened by Labor Day. I went on Wednesday (and at least I'm back up to my previous speed/distance/duration), but then spent all of Friday waiting for a woman to bring me materials for a grant that was due at 5:00. I got it turned in at 4:20. So no gym on Friday. And then I was supposed to go today, but again I was working on a deadline--had to complete a grant today so it could go to the board chair for approval when he's here at 8:00 tomorrow morning. I just turned it in, then thought "hey, it's only 3:45--I could still go to the gym." And that's when my 15 minute Outlook meeting reminder popped up, telling me about a 4:00 meeting. So no gym today. And I already know Friday is out because I'll be at a conference all day. Maybe I'll go the next three days in a row. Yeah, like that's going to happen.
Where did my motivation go? Unlike Emily, I don't have ANY good days that I can remember in the recent past. I keep eating too much. I keep not making it to the gym. If I go to the gym, I come home and have Oreos and milk. And not just a nice reasonable serving of two Oreos. I eat six. I used to be able to eat 1300 calories a day and it wasn't a big deal. How was I able to do that? Was it just will power? And if so, how do I get that back?
Monday all day
It feels very Monday-ish to me today. I don't have a good reason. I'm posting just to wake myself up! I have a gym appointment this afternoon, and I'm looking forward to exercising. My weight was 150.0 today and yesterday, so my scale did become just barely unstuck. Maybe I can get back below 150 tomorrow, but I won't hold my breath!
We're all in a rut (except Amy, hooray!) so maybe we should take turns not allowing ourselves to be lazy. I know if I vow to have One Good Day I can usually get through it. But I do my one day, and then the next day I think, gee, I should be good today, too, but I've already lost momentum. But if I could have ONE good day out of three or four that would still be a lot more than I've been doing. I could be good tomorrow, then Sarah on Wednesday, then Amy on Thursday, then Julie on Friday, and then back to me, and so on. Is anybody else interested in being queen of the board for a day at a time, or is this just another pathetic last-ditch attempt?
We're all in a rut (except Amy, hooray!) so maybe we should take turns not allowing ourselves to be lazy. I know if I vow to have One Good Day I can usually get through it. But I do my one day, and then the next day I think, gee, I should be good today, too, but I've already lost momentum. But if I could have ONE good day out of three or four that would still be a lot more than I've been doing. I could be good tomorrow, then Sarah on Wednesday, then Amy on Thursday, then Julie on Friday, and then back to me, and so on. Is anybody else interested in being queen of the board for a day at a time, or is this just another pathetic last-ditch attempt?
Friday, September 07, 2007
Reappearing
I've been gone from the blog since shortly after I got to Maryland -- I didn't have a scale and I didn't have many opportunities to make choices about my food (though when I did, at Macaroni Grill, I went for a dangerously unhealthy pasta dish with shrimp and chicken and prosciutto) and nobody was posting (except Amy every other day or so). We got home on Wednesday night late and spent yesterday dealing with the furniture delivery -- the guys were supposed to come between 12 and 3 and call first, and instead they showed up at 11 without calling. The office was only half ready so I had to frantically pull the computer components to bits to get them moved, and they had to move the big old desk out of the way for me (which they're not supposed to do, but the guy said he hates to leave people stranded with their furniture only half-installed when it's so heavy) because Daniel hadn't gotten home yet (he was going to be home for lunch, a little early, so we could move the stuff). Then everything was in total disarray all day while I tried to figure out where everything ended up and how it went back together. Then I had choir practice. What a day.
Today we got virtually no school done, and then we had Mass and a homeschoolers' meeting to go to, so I didn't get home until 3:30, after which point I had to leave immediately for the gym, and then I visited Daniel. The good thing is that today I barely ate -- I had breakfast and then a small lunch, and then nothing until dinner. But this is my first opportunity to read the blog since we got home.
My scale is stuck at 150.5. It said that yesterday morning and this morning, and before my shower (stark naked) and after my shower and after breakfast. I suppose it's better than seeing it go further up -- I feared I'd be over 153 -- but I would like to know that it's capable of going down. But I, also, am on board the SS Disaster and making no progress. Julie's right. World peace would be easier.
Today we got virtually no school done, and then we had Mass and a homeschoolers' meeting to go to, so I didn't get home until 3:30, after which point I had to leave immediately for the gym, and then I visited Daniel. The good thing is that today I barely ate -- I had breakfast and then a small lunch, and then nothing until dinner. But this is my first opportunity to read the blog since we got home.
My scale is stuck at 150.5. It said that yesterday morning and this morning, and before my shower (stark naked) and after my shower and after breakfast. I suppose it's better than seeing it go further up -- I feared I'd be over 153 -- but I would like to know that it's capable of going down. But I, also, am on board the SS Disaster and making no progress. Julie's right. World peace would be easier.
Still a disaster...
Nothing has changed since yesterday! I didn't get to weigh myself today because I was 30 minutes late getting up and ended up rushing around to be able to get to work on time. I think Harry got fed...
There was no exercise last night--I got home from school at 10 pm and I was beat. Had dinner and went right to bed. Today I have had honey nut cheerios with skim milk, a fruit roll up, a granola bar, and a naked steak burrito from Qdoba. We have baseball tickets for tonight along with a $50 gift certificate to Pickles Pub, so dinner will be something from there.
There was no exercise last night--I got home from school at 10 pm and I was beat. Had dinner and went right to bed. Today I have had honey nut cheerios with skim milk, a fruit roll up, a granola bar, and a naked steak burrito from Qdoba. We have baseball tickets for tonight along with a $50 gift certificate to Pickles Pub, so dinner will be something from there.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Welcome Back!!
I have missed everyone for the past couple of weeks! I really did feel like I was talking to myself.
OK - SS Disaster - Here is what I think. We have all made progress! Like Julie says, we aren't dibilitated by our weight - or at least not completely. Personally, I would be SO HAPPY to weigh either 140.4 OR 167, but even at my much higher rate I still feel predominately like a healthy person. I am aware of what are good food choices are and bad ones - and since I am aware, what FEELS like a lot of bad food choices in reality are pretty good choices. I mean, seriously, when was the last time ANY of us ate at a fast food place because we choose too (not counting travel food - that isn't exactly a choice...)? And soda. How many of you drink regular soda? How often. There ARE people out there that drink 64 oz of regular soda daily. AND choose to eat at fast food places because they LIKE it!!! Ugh! How lucky for them though that if they ever decided to change their habits they have those two (comparatively) easy changes to make.
Speaking of changes. I met with the nutritionist again yesterday. I really like her. I told her about my gluten and wheat reactions. She wanted to know what my response to my reaction would be. Honestly, I don't know. I think I will make an effort to not eat wheat and gluten if I can - but I also know that I have a bunch of Let's Dish foods that have wheat in them. She said she would like to see how I respond to being gluten free for a month at least. She said that if there has be a prolonged irritant (i.e. 40 years) it takes time to fully recover from it. I, however, have already strayed from that. I had a quesadilla last night that was made with a whole wheat tortilla.
We then talked a little bit about eating intuitively. She asked me what the first thing I would go out and eat if I were told that I could eat absolutely anything. I said Coldstone Icecream - but what I am really craving, then and now, is a big, pecan encrusted sticky bun. My intuitive eating would NOT involve vegetables - and probably not a lot of fruit either. I like starchy stuff. She also told me that I need to pay more attention to what my body is saying... Not just what it wants to eat, but when. So, for the next month I have to keep a hunger and fullness log. This has been interesting today because Katie and I ate breakfast before we left for work and I have been feeling hungry today because of that. OR - I have been paying attention to feeling hungry and make myself eat in response. I think I am going to start scheduling time off each day to eat.
Finally, she said that she thinks I have to build up my liver and/or gall bladder. We will address that in our next meeting - but for right now she wants me to take the Rheum daily rather than just as needed. I took it this morning - it was VILE!
OK - SS Disaster - Here is what I think. We have all made progress! Like Julie says, we aren't dibilitated by our weight - or at least not completely. Personally, I would be SO HAPPY to weigh either 140.4 OR 167, but even at my much higher rate I still feel predominately like a healthy person. I am aware of what are good food choices are and bad ones - and since I am aware, what FEELS like a lot of bad food choices in reality are pretty good choices. I mean, seriously, when was the last time ANY of us ate at a fast food place because we choose too (not counting travel food - that isn't exactly a choice...)? And soda. How many of you drink regular soda? How often. There ARE people out there that drink 64 oz of regular soda daily. AND choose to eat at fast food places because they LIKE it!!! Ugh! How lucky for them though that if they ever decided to change their habits they have those two (comparatively) easy changes to make.
Speaking of changes. I met with the nutritionist again yesterday. I really like her. I told her about my gluten and wheat reactions. She wanted to know what my response to my reaction would be. Honestly, I don't know. I think I will make an effort to not eat wheat and gluten if I can - but I also know that I have a bunch of Let's Dish foods that have wheat in them. She said she would like to see how I respond to being gluten free for a month at least. She said that if there has be a prolonged irritant (i.e. 40 years) it takes time to fully recover from it. I, however, have already strayed from that. I had a quesadilla last night that was made with a whole wheat tortilla.
We then talked a little bit about eating intuitively. She asked me what the first thing I would go out and eat if I were told that I could eat absolutely anything. I said Coldstone Icecream - but what I am really craving, then and now, is a big, pecan encrusted sticky bun. My intuitive eating would NOT involve vegetables - and probably not a lot of fruit either. I like starchy stuff. She also told me that I need to pay more attention to what my body is saying... Not just what it wants to eat, but when. So, for the next month I have to keep a hunger and fullness log. This has been interesting today because Katie and I ate breakfast before we left for work and I have been feeling hungry today because of that. OR - I have been paying attention to feeling hungry and make myself eat in response. I think I am going to start scheduling time off each day to eat.
Finally, she said that she thinks I have to build up my liver and/or gall bladder. We will address that in our next meeting - but for right now she wants me to take the Rheum daily rather than just as needed. I took it this morning - it was VILE!
I am a disaster.
I weighed in at 167 today. I didn't check, but I believe that is where I started at 2 years ago. I totally blew my good habits and lower weights from spring of this year. I think I am riding in the EXACT same boat as Sarah. It is the SS Disaster.
I know there are a lot of worse things that life can throw at us than being overweight, and I know none of us like the extra pounds we are carrying on our bodies, but we aren't exactly in dire straits because of our weights either. Yet the thing that just keeps nagging at me is WHY hasn't our little cluster of perfectly intelligent, creatively motivated women been able to conquer this challenge? Do you think we are overthinking this and using our excessive combined brain power against ourselves? I am seriously thinking we'd have a better chance at turning our efforts towards creating a lasting world peace than at losing weight and keeping it off. Maybe that's what's wrong--we are too focused on the problem and we should turn our attention towards some other cause where the side effect will be weight loss? I am feeling pretty hopeless today, so that is the likely source of my ranting. I am actually going to go to Target after work and get one of those gut-squisher garments to take on my cruise next week to smooth my fat situation a little bit for my nice dresses at dinner.
I am contemplating signing up for a marathon or half marathon, with only hopes of finishing it whether it be all walking or running and walking, and trying to raise funds for a charity. Maybe because my attention is focused all on myself I am telling myself it is ok to not reach my goals. Maybe if someone else is counting on me I won't be so quick to settle.
I know there are a lot of worse things that life can throw at us than being overweight, and I know none of us like the extra pounds we are carrying on our bodies, but we aren't exactly in dire straits because of our weights either. Yet the thing that just keeps nagging at me is WHY hasn't our little cluster of perfectly intelligent, creatively motivated women been able to conquer this challenge? Do you think we are overthinking this and using our excessive combined brain power against ourselves? I am seriously thinking we'd have a better chance at turning our efforts towards creating a lasting world peace than at losing weight and keeping it off. Maybe that's what's wrong--we are too focused on the problem and we should turn our attention towards some other cause where the side effect will be weight loss? I am feeling pretty hopeless today, so that is the likely source of my ranting. I am actually going to go to Target after work and get one of those gut-squisher garments to take on my cruise next week to smooth my fat situation a little bit for my nice dresses at dinner.
I am contemplating signing up for a marathon or half marathon, with only hopes of finishing it whether it be all walking or running and walking, and trying to raise funds for a charity. Maybe because my attention is focused all on myself I am telling myself it is ok to not reach my goals. Maybe if someone else is counting on me I won't be so quick to settle.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
I'm here
I've been so awful--just no motivation to stick with eating well and exercising. None. I don't know why I'm going through this. I've never had such difficulties in the past year. Even when I slipped and put on a bit of weight I always got right back on track again. But here I am, totally unable or unwilling to control my diet and making it to the gym maybe twice a week and never doing anything more in the way of exercising other than running a few miles on the treadmill.
I'm maintaining my weight. Unfortunately, I'm maintaining at somewhere between 140 and 142 pounds--ten pounds up from my lowest weight and five to seven up from my top "ideal" weight. Ugh. Today I was 140.4. I keep promising myself rewards if I just lose something, anything in a week but the rewards hardly seem worth it when it's so much more pleasant and rewarding to eat pizza and pasta and hamburgers and cotton candy and cake and cookies right now. Maybe I should start punishing myself? If I don't end up below 140 by next week, I'll have to chop off my pinkie toe. Maybe that would work. You'd think I could manage a lousy half pound, but I don't even trust myself to do that!
I'm maintaining my weight. Unfortunately, I'm maintaining at somewhere between 140 and 142 pounds--ten pounds up from my lowest weight and five to seven up from my top "ideal" weight. Ugh. Today I was 140.4. I keep promising myself rewards if I just lose something, anything in a week but the rewards hardly seem worth it when it's so much more pleasant and rewarding to eat pizza and pasta and hamburgers and cotton candy and cake and cookies right now. Maybe I should start punishing myself? If I don't end up below 140 by next week, I'll have to chop off my pinkie toe. Maybe that would work. You'd think I could manage a lousy half pound, but I don't even trust myself to do that!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
No Doubt
OK - I decided that my stomach was settled enough to do the wheat test... So I cooked up a bunch of Wheatena (a REALLY gross product BTW) and ate the whole serving. As with the bowl of barley to test the gluten, about half way through I started feeling my stomach tightening up and the food felt like a disgusting lump. Very soon after that my colon (or stomach - innards anyway) started vibrating. THIS time, however, I got the very distinct ir-irk, ir-irk sound that my gut makes when my colon spasms. So - gluten, or wheat anyway - it is. Ugh. I don't know exactly what this means for me - because clearly my intolerance is live withable - I have done it for 40 years after all. However, I have to say I have enjoyed NOT having gas for the past three weeks. I don't know either if it will affect my weight loss attempts at all by eliminating gluten from my diet. I have to do a lot more reading about the effects of gluten. However, I have already discovered that there are a lot of wheat free and gluten free products to be had. It is just a matter of rethinking my food choices and preparation. The first thing I am going to do is find a source of gluten free sandwich bread and hamburger buns.
I still have corn to test. That will be tomorrow. I should also test citrus officially - but I have had a harder time keeping lemon, lime and orange out of my diet than I did wheat - believe it or not!
I still have corn to test. That will be tomorrow. I should also test citrus officially - but I have had a harder time keeping lemon, lime and orange out of my diet than I did wheat - believe it or not!
Two Years
This is our two year blog anniversary! All told I have only gained nine pounds in those two years. Sigh. I was 224.4 today - or was it .6. I don't remember. Regardless - also in the past two years I have quit smoking and gotten in MUCH better shape. Of course, my knees and back now hurt - but that probably would have happened sooner had I not improved my diet. I HAVE improved my diet fairly dramatically too. Granted, prior to this I didn't eat horribly, but I didn't THINK about what I ate quite as much as I do now. So I still consider all of this blogging mostly successful.
I am scheduled to meet with the nutritionist tomorrow. I have been testing foods all week. I haven't had any dramatic reactions so far. Gluten made my colon vibrate - and this morning I woke up early with an upset stomach which could either have been the reaction to the spasming colon from the gluten or from the dairy I tested yesterday. I am not sure. I followed the elimination diet instructions - which were to test one new food a day - but I do which I had allowed for a day of rest in between (not in the instructions unless you are testing joint pain...) Also on the day I tested gluten I fell asleep at 10:15. I WOULD have gone to bed at 9:30 - but that was so unnaturally early I couldn't do it. Fatigue is one of the symptoms. But Katie and I also moved the lilac bush that day. It was hard work, but not ridiculously hard. I have done much harder work and not collapsed by 9:30! So - it looks like we have a winner! Gluten. Sigh. I still have wheat to test - which may be redundant considering gluten already failed the test - but I want to see if I have a stronger reaction to wheat. I haven't had any reflux with any of the foods I have tested so far - and reflux is certainly the most immediately noticeable reaction I have to foods - but then, reflux USUALLY is brought on by wheat based foods. I can't check the wheat today since I am still upset from the dairy/gluten test. Maybe I will be able to check it later today.
I am off today waiting for the inspector to arrive to check the holes dug by the deck guy yesterday. Then hopefully the deck guy will also come by and get something accomplished. I am having so much fun "furnishing" my new deck. I have a glider (which I can also get as a swing - but it cost twice as much) picked out...
Mission Glider
I am trying to decide between a few different fireplaces - Fireplace #1 or Fireplace #2 or
Fireplace #3
I am now kind of glad that the deck is going up in early fall. When I had a balcony I sat out on it more in the fall and spring (and winter even!) than I did in the hot summer. My habit was to eat breakfast out there in the mornings. Of course - that was when I didn't have to be to work until 8:30am. Breakfast on my (soon to be) new deck would have to be practically in the middle of the night for me to still make it to work on time!!
I am scheduled to meet with the nutritionist tomorrow. I have been testing foods all week. I haven't had any dramatic reactions so far. Gluten made my colon vibrate - and this morning I woke up early with an upset stomach which could either have been the reaction to the spasming colon from the gluten or from the dairy I tested yesterday. I am not sure. I followed the elimination diet instructions - which were to test one new food a day - but I do which I had allowed for a day of rest in between (not in the instructions unless you are testing joint pain...) Also on the day I tested gluten I fell asleep at 10:15. I WOULD have gone to bed at 9:30 - but that was so unnaturally early I couldn't do it. Fatigue is one of the symptoms. But Katie and I also moved the lilac bush that day. It was hard work, but not ridiculously hard. I have done much harder work and not collapsed by 9:30! So - it looks like we have a winner! Gluten. Sigh. I still have wheat to test - which may be redundant considering gluten already failed the test - but I want to see if I have a stronger reaction to wheat. I haven't had any reflux with any of the foods I have tested so far - and reflux is certainly the most immediately noticeable reaction I have to foods - but then, reflux USUALLY is brought on by wheat based foods. I can't check the wheat today since I am still upset from the dairy/gluten test. Maybe I will be able to check it later today.
I am off today waiting for the inspector to arrive to check the holes dug by the deck guy yesterday. Then hopefully the deck guy will also come by and get something accomplished. I am having so much fun "furnishing" my new deck. I have a glider (which I can also get as a swing - but it cost twice as much) picked out...
Mission Glider
I am trying to decide between a few different fireplaces - Fireplace #1 or Fireplace #2 or
Fireplace #3
I am now kind of glad that the deck is going up in early fall. When I had a balcony I sat out on it more in the fall and spring (and winter even!) than I did in the hot summer. My habit was to eat breakfast out there in the mornings. Of course - that was when I didn't have to be to work until 8:30am. Breakfast on my (soon to be) new deck would have to be practically in the middle of the night for me to still make it to work on time!!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Is there anybody OUT there?
Just nod if you can hear me... Is there anyone at all? (Pink Floyd if anyone is wondering...)
I have a new favorite fish - Arctic Charr. It is like salmon - but only the best things about salmon - the pretty pink color, the thickness, and the flavor - but only the mildest of the salmon flavor - so it isn't like when you eat salmon and think, ick - that's some fishy fish. It is so mild - VERY yummy! The texture is more like tilapia - flaky and very moist.
Now that Katie is back to work we will start packing lunches together. I am excited about this. It is SO much easier to plan healthy meals when it is with someone else. But today Katie was stuck with my elimination foods! Well - not entirely, she had left over steak and crab cake from Bonefish last night...
Today I am testing egg yokes. You have to test eggs in two parts - yokes one day and whites the next. I had absolutely no reaction to the yokes. This is good because I really like egg as a source of protein. Tomorrow I will do whites. I will probably do nothing on Saturday (or maybe cheese) since it is the crop. Then on Sunday I will test gluten (barley) and wheat on Monday. That will give me a couple of days to recover if I DO react. Milk on Tuesday and citrus on Wednesday - and I think that is it. All the tests. I am counting the soy test on Monday as a no reaction since it didn't make me any WORSE - it was probably fine.
I have a new favorite fish - Arctic Charr. It is like salmon - but only the best things about salmon - the pretty pink color, the thickness, and the flavor - but only the mildest of the salmon flavor - so it isn't like when you eat salmon and think, ick - that's some fishy fish. It is so mild - VERY yummy! The texture is more like tilapia - flaky and very moist.
Now that Katie is back to work we will start packing lunches together. I am excited about this. It is SO much easier to plan healthy meals when it is with someone else. But today Katie was stuck with my elimination foods! Well - not entirely, she had left over steak and crab cake from Bonefish last night...
Today I am testing egg yokes. You have to test eggs in two parts - yokes one day and whites the next. I had absolutely no reaction to the yokes. This is good because I really like egg as a source of protein. Tomorrow I will do whites. I will probably do nothing on Saturday (or maybe cheese) since it is the crop. Then on Sunday I will test gluten (barley) and wheat on Monday. That will give me a couple of days to recover if I DO react. Milk on Tuesday and citrus on Wednesday - and I think that is it. All the tests. I am counting the soy test on Monday as a no reaction since it didn't make me any WORSE - it was probably fine.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Postponed
I decided to postpone my food testing for a few days. My stomach and head are still acting up - so I think it might actually be a bug. Regardless - the soybeans I ate yesterday didn't make me any WORSE - so they are probably OK. But since I am going to be testing the foods that MAY have an impact (dairy, wheat, gluten) soon I want to wait until I know my body is behaving normally. I am sick of brown rice for all my meals though. 8-b
My weight this morning was 222.4 - so virtually no change from last week. I want to postpone my meeting with the nutritionist tomorrow. I emailed her that yesterday, but she said that she thought we should still meet - and do the food tests via email - but I just wrote back today saying that meeting tomorrow would be unproductive since I haven't been able to do ANY of the food tests to speak of. So - we will see what she says back. I think she might be afraid she will lose me altogether if we don't meet - but I only want to delay it a week! I don't know...
My weight this morning was 222.4 - so virtually no change from last week. I want to postpone my meeting with the nutritionist tomorrow. I emailed her that yesterday, but she said that she thought we should still meet - and do the food tests via email - but I just wrote back today saying that meeting tomorrow would be unproductive since I haven't been able to do ANY of the food tests to speak of. So - we will see what she says back. I think she might be afraid she will lose me altogether if we don't meet - but I only want to delay it a week! I don't know...
Monday, August 27, 2007
First Test
OK - Today I am testing soy. Mostly because I don't think soy is a problem for me. I don't eat it enough to count for anything and I don't remember ever noticing a problem with it in the past - outside of the fact that I just don't LIKE soy sauce. I ate a pack of raw edamame (soy beans) just now... How can I tell if it is a problem though? Maybe today isn't a good day to test myself. I already have a headache and my stomach was already acting up. So - I don't know if I will notice a difference.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Nothing...
I feel compelled to write an entry just because I haven't since Tuesday - but I have nothing to report. I am still not weighing myself - and in spite of my semi-positive weigh-in day on Tuesday I am already worrying about the next one. I feel bloated - but that could be because of the normal monthly weight gain thing.
I made more breakfast rice yesterday. This was with smoked salmon and a little bit of cumin. It was WAY too salty inintially - so I made another batch and mixed the two together. That should do the trick. I am getting a little tired of rice - but not disgustingly so. I like rice - especially brown rice - so this is WAY better than the carb free diet. I miss eggs though. I don't know why - it isn't like I eat a LOT of eggs. I think maybe I am not getting enough protein - but that can't be. I have beans and rice almost daily - and some kind of meat for dinner. That should be plenty for anyone! Maybe it is just the softer proteins; cheese, milk, eggs, etc. that I am needing
I bought some rice flour and gluten free baking mix at Wegmans - but all of the receipes I have come across call for eggs or milk (I can't quite get into the soy milk concept and that is forbidden anyway) so I haven't actually made anything. I could get rice milk - that is allowed. So if I make biscuits with rice milk and rice flour - will they turn out just to be big rice blobs? I want pancakes. I have been craving them since before the diet. Katie and I went to IHOP shortly before I started it - but it didn't nip the craving. Or maybe because they were so yummy I still want them. I don't know.
I am in the mood to make applesauce - and it IS about that time of the year. I will have to find out if Mom and Dad are getting Jonnagolds this year. They are my favorites for applesauce.
I made more breakfast rice yesterday. This was with smoked salmon and a little bit of cumin. It was WAY too salty inintially - so I made another batch and mixed the two together. That should do the trick. I am getting a little tired of rice - but not disgustingly so. I like rice - especially brown rice - so this is WAY better than the carb free diet. I miss eggs though. I don't know why - it isn't like I eat a LOT of eggs. I think maybe I am not getting enough protein - but that can't be. I have beans and rice almost daily - and some kind of meat for dinner. That should be plenty for anyone! Maybe it is just the softer proteins; cheese, milk, eggs, etc. that I am needing
I bought some rice flour and gluten free baking mix at Wegmans - but all of the receipes I have come across call for eggs or milk (I can't quite get into the soy milk concept and that is forbidden anyway) so I haven't actually made anything. I could get rice milk - that is allowed. So if I make biscuits with rice milk and rice flour - will they turn out just to be big rice blobs? I want pancakes. I have been craving them since before the diet. Katie and I went to IHOP shortly before I started it - but it didn't nip the craving. Or maybe because they were so yummy I still want them. I don't know.
I am in the mood to make applesauce - and it IS about that time of the year. I will have to find out if Mom and Dad are getting Jonnagolds this year. They are my favorites for applesauce.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
I forgot to weigh myself!
Connor was up early this morning so I was out of my normal routine, which meant I didn't weigh myself. The last time I weighed myself I was 139.4, but that was on Friday and I've eaten like a pig since then. So I don't know what I am now. I've been back to the gym a few times, though. Still not back up to my normal speed, but at least running the whole time and my heart rate seems to be handling it pretty well. I can't remember, but I think the last time I stopped exercising for this long I had more difficulty getting back into it. This time it's been nice--the gym is deserted until at least next week when students come back, so it's a lot more pleasant just to be there!
148.5
Again. But it's remarkable that it even stayed there because it crept up to 149.5 during the week and just went down again yesterday or the day before, and then last night we went out to dinner at Carabbas and ate their excellent pizza and far too much bread. And then I had a heart attack. Actually the heart attack came before dinner and it wasn't really a heart attack but it had us scared for most of the evening!
I had a weird, sharp (but very localized pain) on my left side right about where my heart ought to be, right after I'd lifted Cecilia for the upteen jillionth time that day (we were doing a lot of running around). It was a familiar pain, one I think I've had before, but it didn't go away, and over the next hour my left arm started feeling a bit numb. It was very hard to be rational about this -- chest pain and a problem with the left arm? And I wasn't home so I couldn't Google it to calm my nerves. So Daniel and I tried to act normal and not worry about it, fairly unsuccessfully, for about three hours. Ibuprofen did nothing. We had to talk ourselves out of going to the ER. I wasn't short of breath and my pulse was fine and I'm 35 years old, for crying out loud!
Anyway, when we got home I did Google it, and it said, as we'd guessed, that it was a pinched nerve or pulled muscle or both. Probably I strained a muscle and in the process pinched a nerve. I was wearing a fairly unsupportive bra yesterday and I bet that didn't help. When I woke up this morning the chest pain was gone and my arm was quite a bit better, but when I picked Cecilia up it twinged again -- so now I can't lift anything serious for the rest of the day. The pain is gone again and I'm wearing a good bra so I hope it won't come back, but my arm is still acting weird. If it's not back to normal by Thursday I'll call the doctor, but this is one of those things I don't think doctors can do much about -- they'll say, don't lift anything, but that's about it.
Anyway, that's not weight loss, but it's health-related, so I thought I'd bring it up. Just a bit of the fear of God for me! I'll be interested in seeing how this affects my exercising tomorrow -- I won't do weights but I'll sure do aerobic exercise!
I had a weird, sharp (but very localized pain) on my left side right about where my heart ought to be, right after I'd lifted Cecilia for the upteen jillionth time that day (we were doing a lot of running around). It was a familiar pain, one I think I've had before, but it didn't go away, and over the next hour my left arm started feeling a bit numb. It was very hard to be rational about this -- chest pain and a problem with the left arm? And I wasn't home so I couldn't Google it to calm my nerves. So Daniel and I tried to act normal and not worry about it, fairly unsuccessfully, for about three hours. Ibuprofen did nothing. We had to talk ourselves out of going to the ER. I wasn't short of breath and my pulse was fine and I'm 35 years old, for crying out loud!
Anyway, when we got home I did Google it, and it said, as we'd guessed, that it was a pinched nerve or pulled muscle or both. Probably I strained a muscle and in the process pinched a nerve. I was wearing a fairly unsupportive bra yesterday and I bet that didn't help. When I woke up this morning the chest pain was gone and my arm was quite a bit better, but when I picked Cecilia up it twinged again -- so now I can't lift anything serious for the rest of the day. The pain is gone again and I'm wearing a good bra so I hope it won't come back, but my arm is still acting weird. If it's not back to normal by Thursday I'll call the doctor, but this is one of those things I don't think doctors can do much about -- they'll say, don't lift anything, but that's about it.
Anyway, that's not weight loss, but it's health-related, so I thought I'd bring it up. Just a bit of the fear of God for me! I'll be interested in seeing how this affects my exercising tomorrow -- I won't do weights but I'll sure do aerobic exercise!
Afraid of the scale
I was afraid to weigh in this morning. It has been a week since I weighed myself - and I have been doing this elimination diet. I haven't been particularly good with my eating - but I have been sticking to the guidelines of what was given to me... with the few exceptions that I have already reported. I ate mostly snacks yesterday. I mean, mostly various nuts and gluten free trail mixes and stuff. I ate my breakfast at lunch time and then never ate my lunch or fruit to vegetables that I packed. I have had NO caffeine since I started this - but that Rooibos Tea has been a pretty good substitute. I do miss coffee though. I want a big, hot cup of expensive coffee right now.
Anyway - so my weight this morning was 222 even. I was AMAZED by this because I really think I am at the four pound spike point of the month and I seriously expected it to be 230 this morning - and so, even though it is only down 3 pounds from last week, mentally it is 8 pounds down. And in reality it is the lowest weight I have seen since 7/11 and is the lowest weigh in weight since May 1st. So - maybe there is something to this food sensitivity/intolerence business - or maybe it is just that I have changed my eating habits - again. Whatever. I am not complaining, I would just be happy to see my weight continue going down.
My follow up meeting with the nutritionist is next Wednesday. I am supposed to start testing foods next Monday - but depending on how good I am this week I may start testing this weekend. I am going to start with eggs and soy - both of which I think are OK for me. I have never noticed a problem with eating them in the past (upset stomach, rash or itching). I am still afraid it is gluten that is my problem - but I have gotten to the point where I can accept it being wheat. I can give up wheat, but not oatmeal. 8-) You know - I totally wouldn't surprise me if it IS wheat or white sugar. But, I notice a problem when I eat sweet processed foods - like Pop Tarts, cookies or doughnuts, more so than when I drink a sweet coffee with regular milk or if I eat a candy bar... Which is why I think it is the flour more than the sugar. I don't know - this is all speculation.
Anyway - so my weight this morning was 222 even. I was AMAZED by this because I really think I am at the four pound spike point of the month and I seriously expected it to be 230 this morning - and so, even though it is only down 3 pounds from last week, mentally it is 8 pounds down. And in reality it is the lowest weight I have seen since 7/11 and is the lowest weigh in weight since May 1st. So - maybe there is something to this food sensitivity/intolerence business - or maybe it is just that I have changed my eating habits - again. Whatever. I am not complaining, I would just be happy to see my weight continue going down.
My follow up meeting with the nutritionist is next Wednesday. I am supposed to start testing foods next Monday - but depending on how good I am this week I may start testing this weekend. I am going to start with eggs and soy - both of which I think are OK for me. I have never noticed a problem with eating them in the past (upset stomach, rash or itching). I am still afraid it is gluten that is my problem - but I have gotten to the point where I can accept it being wheat. I can give up wheat, but not oatmeal. 8-) You know - I totally wouldn't surprise me if it IS wheat or white sugar. But, I notice a problem when I eat sweet processed foods - like Pop Tarts, cookies or doughnuts, more so than when I drink a sweet coffee with regular milk or if I eat a candy bar... Which is why I think it is the flour more than the sugar. I don't know - this is all speculation.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Results Not Typical
So - WHAT exactly is typical!?? If you look up the websites of Jenny Craig, or Weight Watchers or any of the other weight loss companies they all have pictures of people who lost weight, or stories or who lost how much and EVERYONE of them always says "results not typical" no matter WHAT the amount is that they lost. So my question is, WHAT is typical? Why don't they have pictures of people who have lost five pounds over two months. If that is typical - show THEM! But - my other thought is WHY isn't weight loss typical if the person IS trying to lose weight. I mean, with the exception of me, this blog generated a LOT of weight loss - but not just loss, weight maintenance. If you figure we started out with six of us - three of you reached your goals (or pretty close) and have managed to stay close to that goal. The other three of us lost some weight - and, for the most part have kept some of it off. I think I am the only one who has gone HIGHER than my starting weight - and that was over a year after I started, and after I quit smoking. So - I think, based on our cross section study the weight loss WAS typical and the gain was the results that weren't typical.
My eating this weekend was pretty good - in that I stuck to the elimination diet with the exception of one drink I had with Katie after her opening night show on Friday and some gluten free, wheat free, egg free, cookies I had (found at Wegmans) that I discovered after I ate them had maize flour in them which I think is on the forbidden list.
I still didn't exercise. I thought of it several times this weekend - either taking a walk or actually going to the gym - but I didn't even give the thought a change to gel before it was gone and so I didn't actully DO any exercise. I did a tiny bit of gardening and I did some laundry - but otherwise, my energy focus was mostly on pressing quilt blocks and sorting out projects. I hope I get my machine back soon!!!
My eating this weekend was pretty good - in that I stuck to the elimination diet with the exception of one drink I had with Katie after her opening night show on Friday and some gluten free, wheat free, egg free, cookies I had (found at Wegmans) that I discovered after I ate them had maize flour in them which I think is on the forbidden list.
I still didn't exercise. I thought of it several times this weekend - either taking a walk or actually going to the gym - but I didn't even give the thought a change to gel before it was gone and so I didn't actully DO any exercise. I did a tiny bit of gardening and I did some laundry - but otherwise, my energy focus was mostly on pressing quilt blocks and sorting out projects. I hope I get my machine back soon!!!
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