Meandering Thoughts of MomTo3Kidz: Health and wellness

Yay for me! I survived the day!

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:28:59 GMT

I have felt like crapola since Tuesday. Nothing specific. I cannot say that I have been sick. I've just had zero energy. Zero enthusiasm. No spark. My body doesn't ache, but it feels h e a v y. I haven' t felt like talking (and everyone knows that something is wrong if I don't talk!). I have been constantly cold, except for during my 4th block class which is always like an oven. The past two nights, I went to bed at 8:00pm and I would have been in bed even earlier if I wouldn't have felt guilty about it. This morning I thought I could easily curl up under the blankets and stay in bed the whole entire day. Even in the wild partying days of my youth, I didn't stay in bed all day.

Every day this week I thought about taking a sick day. Every day I remembered that I need to bank my sick days for a real emergency and went to work. Plus, it is hard to write lesson plans for my direct class. Someone always gets in trouble if I am not there. Subs don't know the kids and their quirks, and the kids expect the subs to be like me. It is never a smooth situation. It is best to miss work only when it absolutely cannot be avoided.

The cause of all of my misery? Mother Nature AKA Sister Flo. She came to visit today. We have a three day weekend and I am sure I will feel like a normal human being by Tuesday. What a relief. Maybe my emotional and mental state will get better when the Red Plague leaves me. I have to say that I despise these new symptoms of PMS that my old body is being assaulted by... I think I would prefer cramps, bloating, and a zit once a month. I know, I know TMI!

Test results

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:55:49 GMT

I don't have TB. My lungs are clear. Now I have to get the steroid and the cough medicine and take them for a week. The cough is supposed to be gone by then. I am too lazy to go out to get the meds tonight, so I will take some cold medicine to knock myself out tonight and go get it tomorrow. I can't wait for this cough to be gone!

Frankly, I don't get it

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:50:45 GMT

I must be incredibly blessed, or incredibly strange, but I don't understand why people get so whacked out before Christmas. I make my gift list in November, buy all the gifts the day after Thanksgiving, and wrap them while locked in my bedroom, or take them to my parents' house to wrap them. The shopping is great fun - the wrapping not so much. However with the purchase of gift cards, my wrapping is reduced this year. I will get it done in an hour.

Our tree is up and we have a few Christmas candles around the house. This year we opted not to put up the outdoor lights and save electricity. Decorating was done, in one delightful evening - without stress.

I don't bake Christmas cookies or make candy. Craig's step-mom and my mom are the candy makers. I will eat some of their delicious creations on Christmas and that is fine with me. I don't need the stuff in my house, calling me to pack on the pounds. I never know when to stop with fudge, divinity, turtles, popcorn balls, and buckeyes.

Christmas cards? If you send me one, I send one back. If I feel energetic I will send out a few extra, but if not - no biggie. The people I love the most hear from me more than once a year. The rest are just icing on the cake. I like getting cards and I like picking them out to send, but I am not in some contest to see who gets the most cards at Christmas.

Victoria is participating in a little singing program at church this coming weekend. She practices weekely during Children's Church. On the day of the program she will walk up on stage with hundreds of children, looking like an angel in her black velvet and plaid Christmas dress and sing two songs. I will take as many pictures as I can and be bursting with pride and beaming from ear to ear. No sweat.

I ordered a special tie for my secret santa gift exchange. It arrived in the mail two days ago. I will put scratch off lotter tickets in his mailbox, buy him some coffee, pick up a whoopie pie, and make a gift bag of snowman poop. It is going to be fun - not stressful.

The main courses of our Christmas meals are not my responsibility. I will take something to Craig's family dinner, and an appetizer to my family celebration. Yes, I will actually make something. I don't just grab something at the grocery store deli. Even I am not that lazy. However, whatever I take will be easy, very easy. Maybe Ree's bacon appetizers. Yeah, check out Pioneer Woman's blog and see what I am making for my family. Yum.

I don't have a Christmas party for work. Craig doesn't have a company Christmas party. No worries about what to wear. I was invited to a party that includes a cookie exchange. I declined the invitation because I don't bake, and I am not going to attempt to bake something that will meet the standards of ladies who bake regularly and make wonderful goodies. I can just imagine the thoughts of the poor person who got my flat, hard, boring, chocolate chip cookies... It wouldn't be pretty.

Christmas really is my favorite time of year. I love buying gifts. I love spending time with my family. Most of all I love Christmas Eve service where I get to celebrate Jesus Christ's birth with family, friends, and the body of Christ. I cannot wait for Christmas Eve service!

I should have had my flu shot...

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:22:06 GMT

... but being the big chicken that I am, I skipped it again. The school offered them for $26.00. My thinking was, "Why would I pay $26.00 to faint (yes needles make me woozey), feel like throwing up, and have a sore arm?" Now I know why. I was supposed to feel lousy then, so I wouldn't feel so crappy now. It all started with a sore throat, and swollen glands and general body aches. The next day I felt fine. Saturday I had a runny nose, but felt fine otherwise. Today my sinuses were plugged up so I took a sinus pill, and now I feel like sticking tissue up each nostril and walking around that way. The gunk running down my throat makes me cough. I feel lethargic and slightly achey. Work is going to be so fun this week - NOT. I am going to let one of the social studies teachers I work with know it is all his fault that I am miserable. He has been sick for weeks, and has only taken one day off - the day I went to Indy. His germs have been flying around the room all that time, and they finally landed on me. Washing my hands between every period did not protect me from the flu bug he released. Crud and double crud.

100 years

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:40:07 GMT

Did you watch the video I posted today? I figure any 85 year old who bungee jumps is pretty darned healthy, which is why I chose this category. The old guy has a list of things he wants to do before he is 90. It made me start thinking about my dreams. I might not live to be 85. I hope I can get afford to make some dreams come true some day. What do I want to do before I die?

go snorkeling
go whale watching
swim with dolphins (do you see a theme here?)
swim with manitee
go on a cruise
Go whitewater rafting
Catch a really big fish (yep, water on the brain)
See Niagara Falls
Get a chin (Yay, first dream that doesn't involve water)
I guess that my biggest dream is the one that I am resigning myself to living without - owning a house in the country, with a few acres of land. The house would have a nice porch on the front, a yard filled with flowering trees, a pond full of Koi, and maybe a hot tub. < see that water obsession slipped in again.

Weight loss stalled again

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 10:15:10 GMT

On August 8th I weighed 157. By August 11th I was up to 161, thanks to two days of bad eating. Today I am down to 158. My water intake is way down. I have only been walking 30 minutes every couple of days. My stress level is way up since school started, so I NEED to walk every day. I always feel energized after a walk - mentally and physically. I was hoping to be down to 148 by September 15th. I am not going to meet that goal. Maybe October 15th.

Progress begins again

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:26:29 GMT

My weight is down to 157. I have lost 11.5 pounds. Only 9 more pounds to reach my goal. I don't know what I am going to do about my stomach though. I still have three rolls and the bottom big one is super flabby now. When I sit down it lays on my lap like a partially deflated pool ring (floatie). I cannot do crunches without killing my neck so I know better than to mess with them. I need to find an exercise that firms stomach muscles without causing neck pain. Time to surf the net and find some ideas!

Day 17 and 9.5 pounds lost

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:14:18 GMT

Yesterday I weighed 160.5 AGAIN. I only drank 1 bottle of water. I didn't eat a single vegetable or fruit. I didn't walk. I forgot my vitamins. I ate 1,100 calories. This morning's weight? 159 pounds. Go figure. Yes, I am doing my happy dance, but with a puzzled expression on my face...

Day 15

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:14:26 GMT

Morning Weight - 162 (that is what I get for yesterday's pig out)

Water - only 32 ounces

Calories Consumed- 1000

Walking - 35 minutes

Ok my period is over so my water weight should be gone. Now I want some results.

Day 14 and frustration set in

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 22:32:19 GMT

Today I lost that same old pound - again. I was frustrated, so when I went to the store, I decided to pig out. I got a pack of Reese Cups and ate both of them in the car on the way home. I sucked on them, one bite at a time, letting them melt in my mouth - enjoying every bit. Then I came home and made guacamole and ate it with a ton of lime flavored tortilla chips. After that we went to a party for my brothers step-son-in-law, who is leaving for Iraq next week. I ate more chips and some BBQ chicken, some olives, and drank margaritas, and had a half a piece of cake. I am currently drinking the last Mike's Hard Lime that I have had in my refrigerator since the 3rd of July. Now when I find I have gained weight, I will know there is a reason for it. I have to have eaten/drank over 2,000 calories today - maybe 2,500. I know it is stupid to rebel against weight, when all I am going to do is put on more. I am an idiot. Tomorrow I am counting calories again. I cannot give up completely. I will get down to the 150's sometime...

what day is this? I am losing count.

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 02:03:21 GMT

Morning Weight: 161.2 - that same danged pound is back again

Calories consumed - 1,100

Walked: 30 minutes

Water: 40 ounces

If I ever break 160, I am going to do a happy dance...

Day 10 of counting calories

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:57:47 GMT

Morning Weight: 161 (Up a half a pound. My breasts feel like they could pop, so it must be PMS time)

Calories: 1,262

Water: 40 ounces

Walking: None :-( Thanks to the rain...

July 24 - Day 9

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:28:44 GMT

Morning Weight - 160.5 (Lost 8 pounds so far!)

Calories Consumed - 950

Water- 40 ounces

Walking - 1 hour

I didn't deliberately keep my calories under 1000 today. In fact I had two sandwiches today - on patty melt on rye, and a lunch meat sandwich. After that I craved veggies and fruit and they didn't have many calories at all. I just finished eating 4 cups of diet popcorn and I am too full to eat anything else. Tomorrow I am going to have to force myself to eat 1300 calories so my body doesn't go into starvation mode and start hanging on to my fat.

Day 8 of dieting

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:09:19 GMT

Morning Weight: 161.5 (Lost 2 pounds in one day?!)

Calories Consumed Today: 1,183

Water: 32 ounces

Walking: none

In case you are wondering what I am eating, here is today's food list:

Breakfast
	1 Tbs. Peanut Butter	100
	1 tsp. honey	21
	1 slice diet bread	35
	Lunch
	Wendy's Chicken BLT Salad	580
	Dinner
	baked talapia	110
	corn on the cob	60
	Cut Green Beans	20
	Snacks
	16 wheat thins	130
	low fat cheese	40
	fudge bar 45 red wine 42
	Total Calories Consumed	1,183

Day 7

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:42:24 GMT

Morning Weight: 163.5

Calories Consumed: 1,159

Water: 32 ounces

Walking: 20 minutes

It would be wonderful to be down to 163 by tomorrow morning...

Weight gain from vacation

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:23:48 GMT

I gained weight the last two days, so I am up to 165. All there was to eat in the park was soft pretzels, french fries, hamburgers, cheese burgers, fried chicken strips. My parents took us out for pizza one night and to TGIFriday's (where I ate a salad) another night. Today I will eat properly once again and hope to lose 1/2 - 1 pound by tomorrow.

----------------------------------------------------

Calories consumed: 1,100

Walking: None :-(

Water: Not much

I will do better with walking and water tomorrow!

Day 5 of 1300 Calories

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 01:54:33 GMT

Morning Weight: 153 (down 5.5 pounds) I just know I am going to blow it on vacation. :-(

Calories Consumed: 1,150

Water: 40 ounces

Walking: 1 hour

I found out that two ounces of red wine only has 42 calories, so I decided to follow my doctor's orders and drink one glass this evening. Maybe it will help me sleep tonight. I always get so keyed up before a trip, worrying that I have forgotten something, or that I will oversleep. I'll be back on Friday!

Day 4

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:23:00 GMT

Morning Weight: 164.0

Calories Consumed: 1,330

Walked: 30 minutes

Water: 40 ounces

I went a little over calories today because I drank a Mike's Hard Lime and had a small vanilla cone from Dairy Queen.

I cannot believe that I have lost 4.5 pounds in 4 days - without being hungry. My friend Marilyn is going to Weight Watchers and has lost 6.5 pounds in two weeks. Yay for us!

Day 3

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 01:12:58 GMT

Morning Weight: 165.5 (lost three pounds so far)

Calories Consumed: 1,275

Walking: 48 minutes

Water: drank @48 ounces

Temptation today: I want to drink a Mike's Hard Lime but I didn't leave myself enough calories to do that. Maybe tomorrow.

OK I cannot take it anymore...

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:12:50 GMT

Maybe everyone has more crap going on in their lives than I do and I am just overly sensitive to life stresses. Maybe I really do have a crappy life with more troubles than most. Maybe I have clinical depression. I don't know but right now I think that life sucks and I am tired of feeling this way. I got out my bottle of Lexapro, checked the expiration date, and took half of a pill. In a few days I will feel fine - emotionally. The big question will be whether I survive when I fall asleep while driving. Of course I could consume tons of caffeine like I did before, but then caffeine yields cysts in my breasts and I don't particularly want to go through that whole mess again. It is a dilemma.

I researched other meds and none of them seem right to me. I guess I will let the doctor decide what to try next. However, since I don't have the money to buy the medicine, she can only prescribe what she has in samples. That could certainly limit my options.

This depression stuff is certainly a crisis in my faith. God won't give me more than I can handle. Jesus doesn't leave me nor forsake me. What reason do I have to be afraid? If God is for me who can stand against me? A joyful heart does good like a medicine. I know my faith is pretty darned weak when I give up and go back to anti-depressants. I fought the battle since September and instead of feeling better, I feel worse. It doesn't matter that my mom, dad, grandpa, and brother all have anxiety and depression issues. I thought God would heal me. I expected it. Now I feel like a complete loser for giving in and taking the darned medicine.

How am I doing with the cholesterol?

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 11:56:24 GMT

Sunday I walked for 45 minutes. Monday I walked 30 minutes. Wednesday- 30 minutes with Houdini and Victoria and I actually jogged a few steps on and off (my version of interval training), and last night I walked for 30 minutes (very slowly because I was doing too much thinking). I took my supplements 5 out of 7 days and drank red wine 4 out of 7. I didn't eat any fish or chicken this week, so that means I had too much red meat. I ate 3 salads - but didn't have reduced fat dressing. Today is the only day I ate oatmeal. Not doing very well...

Moaning and Groaning

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:40:24 GMT

Last week I stood on the scale. That was a depressing event. I am back to my all-time high weight, which happens to be the same weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant. I knew it was bad. All I have to do is look down at my stomach and see three rolls of fat - one tiny roll right under my bra, a spare tire above my pants line, and another right below my waistband that literally sits on my lap. When I was a teenager everyone thought I was anorexic. No chance of anyone making that mistake now. So what am I going to do about it?

So far this week I have done a one mile walking tape and last night I did a two mile heart healthy walk. I am moaning and groaning, because my muscles are telling me they hated that two mile walk. It was challenging for sure. I doubt if I will get a walk in this evening, because of church, but hopefully I can force myself to do a mile tomorrow. By Friday I am usually a lump. I get home and sit. I don't do housework or schoolwork or anything worthwhile. I usually order a pizza, watch television, read, or play on the computer. It is going to be a miracle if I force myself out of lethargy and pop in that DVD.

So far this week I have eaten a Lean Cuisine every day for lunch. Breakfast and dinner haven't been too healthy. :-( I am still taking my supplements and drink one glass of wine most evenings. Haven't been drinking water. I have a long way to go toward a healthy lifestyle. My sister looked at pictures of herself in her bathing suit and decided that was the motivation she needs. Maybe I will have Andrew take my picture with my bathing suit on. That should be a terrifying sight. Surely it will scare me into action...

Roll me around

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:13:44 GMT

I was a glutton this weekend:

Friday for lunch my friend Karen and I ate at Blimpie and I stuffed myself on a six inch "super club" and chips. Friday night I went to a scrapbooking event. On the way there I stopped at Dairy Queen and got a chocolate hazlenut Moolatte. At the crop, dinner was cheese quesadillas, chips and salsa, and soda.
Saturday morning I went to my friend's baby shower. It was an all you can eat breakfast buffet. The stupid potatoes and gravy would not stop calling me, so I had two helpings in addition to a few pieces of bacon and scrambled eggs and a pancake. Here piggy, piggy, piggy... Do I have the good sense to stop eating? Oh no I do not.
My darling husband and I went grocery shopping, but he didn't want to shop hungry so he had to stop at Culvers to eat. I could have eaten a salad. I should have eaten a salad. Instead I ate a deep fried fish sandwich AND fries. I looked around Culvers. Every single group there included one fat person. None of them were eating a salad. That realization should have curbed my gluttony. It didn't.
I had only been home from shopping for a few hours when my sister called. She wanted to spend some time with me. Since she has a steady boyfriend, we don't see each other very much. I was thrilled that she called to make a date. That evening she took me out to eat dinner - at one of my favorite places - Red Lobster. Cheddar biscuits, salad, rice pilaf, shrimp scampi, crab legs... I ate every crumb. I felt ill.
Sunday I pigged out on junk food all day. I never felt full.

My scale says I was more than full. It says that I am 1/2 pound from my all- time -high weight. Just a few weeks ago I was thinking how nice it was that my "cold that would not end" had killed my appetite. HA! That didn't last long enough to actually lose weight. Anyone know where I can get some self-control?

How am I doing?

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:15:20 GMT

I walked with my Leslie Sansone tape Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and today.
I am out of wine, so I cannot drink that today. I am going to start marking my bottle when I pour a glass, just to see if Devon is sipping on it. It seems like it was gone way too fast. I would buy a box of wine, but then I KNOW he would drink it without fear of getting caught.
I am still remembering to take my supplements.
I have eaten dry Honey-Nut Cheerios for breakfast the past two days. I do ok during lunch and then when dinner hits, I eat the fried, fattening food.
I have to keep reminding myself that I am not trying to change everything at once. I am trying to make permanent changes over time.
I ordered two other Leslie Sansone tapes from e-bay. They won't be here for a couple of weeks, so I will be good and bored with my current routine by the time they get here.
I think I should work on drinking more water, so I have to remember to take a bottle of water with me to school every day and drink one after work. 24 oz a day sounds like a reasonable goal this week. I should be able to drink more on the weekend, when I can run to the bathroom whenever I need to.

Phasing in healthy habits

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:19:12 GMT

I know I cannot change everything at once and expect to stick with lifestyle changes. Yesterday I decided to add the fish oil to my daily supplements, drink one glass of red wine every evening, and try to walk at least 20 minutes a day. Oh and I bought some of that nasty margarine that is supposed to help reduce cholesterol along with some whole grain bread. I figure if I keep with these changes for three weeks, I will be ready to change something else - like eliminating sausage, bacon, and fried food from my meals. Maybe I will add some weight lifting to my routine at the same time.

Yesterday I put on my walking DVD and decided to do the two mile walk. Victoria was enthusiastic about "walking" with me. She made it one mile and pooped out, claiming that her legs were killing her. She never stopped talking though. "Mom, why are all of the people wearing black pants? Is she the leader? How old do you think that man is? How come you don't have a stretchy band? Why does the music keep saying, Walk, Power Walk? Why can't I stand right next to you? How come we have to wear our shoes? Will you put some ice in my water? How long have we been walking? Is it almost done yet? Mom, watch me! How come the lady wants us to stretch?" When I finally completed my two mile walk, my darling girl, who had been sitting on the floor watching me said, "Oh man Mom, I don't want to stop. Let's do more!" LOL. What a nut.

The results are in so goodbye Atkins...

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:39:14 GMT

The results of my blood work are in. The nurse called yesterday to tell me that my urine test and bloodwork came back good, except my cholesterol. I explained to her that I forgot to fast before my appointment, but she didn't care. She said I have to follow a low fat, low cholesterol diet and do the following things: switch to cooking with canola or olive oil, use benecol margarine, take one gram of fish oil daily, drink one glass of red wine every evening with dinner and exercise 30 minutes every day.

I suspected that my cholesterol could be high. My brother has known his is high for years. He and I are built just alike - tall and thin except in our bellies. He never followed his doctor's instructions and has to take medication every day. With my health insurance I have to pay full price for my prescriptions then get reimbursed. I cannot afford that. Yesterday I got out my walking tape and took a 20 minute walk in my family room. This morning I gagged my way through a bowl of Quaker instant oatmel with extra brown sugar. I won't be doing that again. Something about the texture of oatmeal gets my gag reflex going and that is no way to start my day. Anyhow I figure I can do this. I quit smoking a long time ago. I am taking my vitamins regularly now. I can start incorporating more healthy habits into my life as long as I don't try to do everything at once. I go back for blood work in 6 months and I want the results to be good. I won't forget to fast then!

Monday and Tuesday

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:25:55 GMT

Monday morning weight - 157

Bad day of eating:

Breakfast - hunk of smoked sausage, water

Snack - a free cappucino from the gas station across from school (couldn't waste a free one could I?), walnuts

Lunch - a tiny bag of Combos (I wouldn't leave my desk to go out for lunch, because I was on a roll.)

Dinner - Small bowl of chili with cheese and sour cream, diet caffeine free coke

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday morning weight - 152 <huh???? I stood on the scale three times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

Breakfast - one fried egg, three slices bacon, diet caffeine free coke

Lunch - small bowl of chili, water, cheese stick

Dinner - Two smoked grillers, lettuce with blue cheese, one crescent roll , diet caffeine free coke

Snacks - one sugar free Jello cup, some nuts

Still remembering to take my supplements! Yippee!

Day 12 and back to my high weight

Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:13:53 GMT

Morning Weight 157.5 - I am weak and I know it.

Breakfast - hotdog dipped in mayo

Lunch at Olive Garden - Oh how can you eat carefully at Olive Garden? two helpings of salad, two bowls of pasta fagioli (loaded with beans and pasta), one breadstick, three stuffed mushrooms, three glasses of ice water I know I should have had one bowl of soup and NO breadsticks.

Dinner - Atkins Shake

Did a 10 minute weight lifting "work out" using 3 pound hand weights. It is the first time I did the work out so I wanted to practice the moves with the lightest weight. I will move up to 5 pounds tomorrow. Tried to find my walking tape but didn't have any luck.

Day 8 and other stuff

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 01:33:12 GMT

Morning Weight - 156.5

I decided to keep plugging away at the diet. I think my biggest problem is that as a woman, I only have one week where I don't retain water. The cycle stinks - 7 days of having my period, 7 days of feeling great, 14 days of water retention which is normally between 4 and 6 pounds, and the last two of those fourteen days my temperature drops and I am freezing cold, I have a constant headache, my joints get achey, my lower back starts hurting - all just to welcome "Sister Flow" again. So natrually I realized that New Years Day must have been day 1 of the fourteen day extravaganza of welcoming events, because my itty bitty titties were killing me. Despite all of the water I am drinking, it must not be flushing out.

The next problem I am having is getting myself to exercise. Ugh. It is so hard to get my lazy butt out into the family room to put a tape in the VCR and work out. I am pitiful. Once I get going I do pretty well making it a habit. The key for me is doing it as soon as I get out of bed, otherwise I will have too many excuses and stop working out. I went to the library today and got two work out tapes. Now I just have to make myself use them.

I haven't tracked my eating throughout the day so this is the best I can remember:

Breakfast - too many nuts, Coke

Lunch - a big chunk of smoked sausage, water

Snack - cream cheese in 4 pieces of celery

Dinner - 8 shrimp in low carb cocktail sauce

Snack - 4 buffalo wings with Blue Cheese

I managed to make my darling family grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner and not take a single taste of the sandwiches. I haven't cooked a single meal since I started this diet, but it is time for me to shape up and plan meals for them. Oh what temptation I will be facing.

Tomorrow my friend Marilyn is taking me to Chicago. We are going to the Shedd Aquarium. As an added bonus we found out that teachers get in free with appropriate ID. I am taking my school ID and National Education Association membership card. Then she wants to go to the Cheesecake Factory. Apparently she was there last week and found out that they have reduced carb cheesecake. I am sure it is not low enough for my diet, but how can a girl resist? Maybe I can make myself work out in the morning to rev up my metabolism in preparation for the sinful treat. Yeah, that sounds like a plan...

Day 7 Can I go on?

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:40:31 GMT

Yikes this diet is so unforgiving. I weigh 158.5 today. My one day of bad eating got me back the 2 pounds I lost, plus a half a pound. I am not at square one; I am at square 0! This is so discouraging. I don't know if I have the self-discipline to keep this up. I am supposed to meet my friend from Indy today and scrapbook for 5 hours with a group of ladies. There will be all kinds of "illegal" snacks and I have burned myself out on the snacks from last night.

Last night while I was watching movies I got a cramp across the top of my left foot and shin. I remembered I hadn't taken my second calcium pill of the day. That darned cramp stuck with me forever. I rubbed it, walked on it, flexed it, got on an elliptical machine to try and work it out, and finally got up and danced with Victoria. We were watching a movie called "Step Up" and she was doing ballet while she watched. By the way, the movie was totally predictable - so much so that I could tell Victoria what was going to happen without ever seeing it before. However, I am a sucker for movies involving dance - Save the Last Dance for Me, Honey, Dirty Dancing... I so admire people with rythm and grace. I don't have either, but like to dream that I do.

While I was in the doctors office last Tuesday I read an article about foods to curb your appetite and/or help with weight loss. I wrote down the list of ones I would eat: two eggs scrambled, salad, green tea, broth based soup eaten before a meal, lean beef, olive oil, cinnamon, vinegar, nuts, red hot pepper. Ok, I am not real keen on broth based soup. But I wouldn't say I hate it. I was thinking how easy it is to work most of them into my diet - two scrambled eggs for breakfast, salad with vinegar and oil dressing for lunch, a few nuts for a snack, drinking 2 glasses of green tea a day and having lean beef for dinner. The cinnamon, soup and red hot pepper are the hardest ones for me.

Breakfast - 2 beef roll ups, handful of nuts, diet caffeine free Coke

Lunch - Wendy's bacon and cheddar salad with honey/mustard dressing, more pop (the honey is illegal food)

Dinner - Tyson beef strips, with onion, mushrooms and garlic sauteed in butter, water

Snack - Sugar free Jello with sugar free heavy whipped cream, water

Atkins Day 5

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 04:20:32 GMT

Morning Weight - 156 Original Weight -158

DOWN 2 POUNDS IN FOUR DAYS!

Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled, two sausage patties, water

Snack - 5 slices salami, diet caffeine free Pepsi

Lunch - smothered chicken breast from Applebees, broccoli and yellow squash, water

Dinner - rotisserie chicken -leg and wing, water

Treat- decaff, sugar free latte- vanilla flavored (I cheated by having the milk that a latte is made of)

Walked for 22 minutes with Lollie.

Last night I slept like a log. I went to bed at 10:30pm and slept straight through until 5:00am. I rarely sleep like that. I usually toss and turn and get up to pee several times. The Atkins book says that I should start sleeping better. I certainly hope that is the case. I have been forced to use Tylenol PM several nights a week for a few years now. It would be great if that were a thing of the past.

I started taking my supplements yesterday. I am taking a multi-vitamin and 1200 mg. of calcium. I hope that the calcium will prevent leg cramps. I started having them before I started Atkins, but I remember having a lot of leg cramps a few years ago when I tried to reduce my carb intake. Now I hope to make supplements a daily thing. My doctor told me that I need to take them, so that is extra incentive.

Day 4 of diet

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 01:27:45 GMT

Weight - 156.5

7:00am - Atkins Shake and a handful of nuts

10:00am - Pork Rinds with 1/4 cup sour cream seasoned with garlic and onion, diet caffeine free Pepsi

12:25pm - leftover Italian beef, water

5:00 pm - McDonalds Chicken BLT without the bread - it was supposed to be grilled chicken, but when I got it home it was breaded. I ate it anyway. Baaad toad. I drank green tea

5:30 took the dogs for a quick walk around 4 blocks. Yep my energy is back.

8:00pm - two whole deviled eggs, green tea

Today I went for my annual physical which never gets done yearly. My doctor asked me when last had my cholesterol checked and I told her that I never had it done. She asked me when I had my last tetanus booster. Well if it wasn't in my file there, I hadn't had it done for at least 15 years. I had both things taken care of. Talk about a "healthy" break from work - I got my mammogram, PAP, cholesterol check, booster shot and started a diet. Oh and I almost forgot, I spent $45.00 on a multivitamin and a softgel calcium supplement. My doctor was on me about taking those, and I was glad that I was able to say that I just purchased them yesterday!

Today I don't feel nearly as wiped out as I had the past three days. I think my carb withdrawal is ending. I don't have a big surge in energy but I don't feel like I have been rolled flat by heavy equipment. *g* I am craving a different veggie besides spinach so I might make some green beans with bacon and onion later. My ice maker quit working! I cannot drink water, pop or green tea without ice. If Craig doesn't get it working soon, I am going to have to go buy a bag of ice and some ice cube trays. Don't make me go without liquid when I am dieting. I will go nuts.

OH POOP! I drank and ate before I got my bloodwork done. Now there is some money down the drain. I completely forgot about fasting. Man I could just kick myself...

Day 3

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:11:56 GMT

Morning Weight - 156.5 - down 1.5 pounds

What I ate:

5:00am - diet caffeine free pepsi, nuts, cheese stick

8:00am - boneless, skinless chicken strips, blue cheese dressing, water

11:00am - 6 inch chunk of smoked sausage, water

1:30pm - spinach, two slices bacon, a few more bites of chicken, sprinkles of feta, vinegar and oil, water

5:00pm - three buffalow wing drummets, diet caffeine free pepsi

I don't know if I can keep this up for two weeks. The food is great but I still feel tired and have a dull, constant headache. I need to go out and purchase some vitamins today. Maybe that will help with my lack of energy. Dr. Atkin's book talks about the sudden onset of energy on day 3 or 4, I wish it would hurry up and get here.

Atkins - Day 2

Thu, 28 Dec 2006 10:24:33 GMT

Yesterday I ate way too much. It was kind of like quitting smoking. I kept trying to replace what I was missing with something else. I craved high carb foods, so I kept putting high fat and high protien foods in my mouth. I know I ate thousands of calories. I still felt like a whale. This morning I got up and weighed myself. The scale said 158 pounds. My all time high is 163. I let myself get too close to my nightmare weight. My goal is to fit comfortably in size 12 pants - whatever weight that may be. After I am down a few pounds I will get a pair of size 12 pants out of storage and try them on, and then use them to measure my progress.

Breakfast this morning was a two egg omlette with one slice of American cheese and two slices of crisp cooked bacon. I had water to drink.

Lunch - spinach, beef strips, feta cheese, vinegar and oil, pistachio nuts, diet caffiene free Pepsi

Dinner - 5 buffalo chicken wing drummets, blue cheese dressing, water

Snacks - Atkins shake, nuts

Last night I went to Barnes and Noble and resisted the caramel macchiato that was calling me while I read. I drank water instead. Today Craig got a huge tin of chocolate covered cookies from his employer (he is still layed off) and brought it home, set it down right next to me, and opened it up and proceeded to eat cookies with the kids. I asked him if he would keep them away from me. I didn't get a favorable response, but I still resisted. Personally, I think that he doesn't want me to lose weight, because I have been successful at quitting smoking and he is puffing away. If I get back into my size 12's he might have to face the 25 pounds that he needs to lose.

Day 1 of Atkins

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:25:02 GMT

I woke up this morning feeling like a whale. I said to myself, "This is it!" Ok, so I say that to myself every day. But maybe today I really mean it. I looked in the frig for my breakfast and found leftover ham from my parents' house and decided that Atkins might work for me because I really like meat. I had a few tiny chunks of ham for breakfast. Two hours later I had a few bites of italian beef without a bun and a 1oz. mozarella cheese stick. The candy on my kitchen counter was calling my name. The caramel macchiato at Starbucks is calling even louder and more insistently. I went to the store and got some bagged spinach, some frozen beef strips and chicken strips, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, crumbled feta cheese and olive oil. I picked up some bulk italian sausage to mix with hamburger to make meatballs, that I will eat with a little cheese melted on top. We have a tin of nuts that someone gave Craig for my snacking urges - but buttery popcorn sounds better. I have a fat labrador retriever that would love to take me on a walk, no matter what the weather.

What is my plan you may be asking? Well for the next two weeks I am going to avoid white stuff. Then, when I get back to school I will add whole grain bread and brown rice, and baked sweet potatoes. I think I will go more for South Beach after I lose some weight. I just need a jump start to get me motivated.

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I am 10 hours into the diet and I am tired! No caffeine and no white flour saps a person of energy. I napped for 90 minutes this afternoon. I usually allow myself one caffeinated drink a day, so I expect some withdrawal. I still need to get myself a good multi-vitamin. The steak and spinach salad I had for lunch was delicious. I think I will have bacon and scrambled eggs for dinner tonight. My friend wants me to meet her at Barnes and Noble tonight and it will be hard to resist the call of the caramel macchiato. I will try drinking water. Wish me luck!

Whatt the doctor said...

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 23:24:56 GMT

The doctor said that the combination of constipation that I have had all of my life and my surgery in August make it necessry for me to take a perscription to get my digestive system moving normally. She didn't even ask me about my diet! She told me about three different drugs and started me out on the cheapest. She said that I will have to take it for a minimum of 6 months and possibly for the rest of my life. I think that I will start taking it and incorporate more fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains into my diet, and try to go off of the medication. If I am eating healthy and I still have problems, I will know that I have to keep taking the medication.

I went to WalMart after I left the doctor and got more bananas, apples and oranges, a loaf of whole grain bread, a bag of mixed lettuce, green tea, whole grain crackers, and batteries for my pedometer. It is time to incorporate some healthy habits into my life-style. I hope it helps me feel better soon.