Discussion Board

Exercise sucks! That is what I have to say right now. This is going to be a huge mountain for me to climb... become a person that moves and exercises. I used to work full-time and moved all day long and due to my diet, never lost weight, but was active. I just didn't exercise. Since I got sick - I have become rather sedentary. First it was because I was so sick... then it was because my iron was so low. Now I have neither of those excuses... not my muscles are just so weak and it hurts like crazy!!

I have been doing Engine 2 stretches for three days and my body aches like I never imagined. I am only getting started. I can tell by the way my muscles feel that this is a very important step. More important is adding walking! I was doing pretty good for about a week and then I just stopped. It snowed and that was the end of that. I want exercise to become a habit... a craving. I know it will take time, but that is my goal now. Eating is going fine. Moving needs work! Once I get the two going at the same time I will be unstoppable!!!

Well, I officially ended January at 293 pounds... which is about two pounds higher than I was mid-month. I am not concerned really because I have started a workout routine and I suspect that my muscles are growing and my fat is burning because my clothes are fitting differently. My goal was 10 pounds a month, so I hit that and even added a couple extra pounds.

The exercise is hard for me, but it will become habit. It will. It will. It will. The weather is great again... so I plan on starting back up on my walks. Spokane has a Bloomsday Run in May... my family wants to do it. Never in my life did I imagine I would be in a "run" of any kind. I don't imagine I will run all of it, but many people just walk it. That will be quite an experience for me. The confidence of knowing I can do it...

So, walking is going to start so we can condition for it and the benefit will be strength and weight loss - hopefully.

Hi Debbie,Happy Birthday.Hope you have a good one. RAS

Yes Debie I wish I could accept and love the importance of moving daily (in a sustained pace for 30 minutes). I relate to your struggles and I wish you success in your challenge.

I am struggling and wish I'd figure it out quicker than I am.

I'm currently reading Steven Pressfield's book 'Do The Work' as a means of getting myself organized. I think this quote is excellent:



Buy a pedometer, clip it on (clip it to your ankle if necessary) and work to add a few extra steps every day. I thought I was doing pretty good, but when I actually bothered to count my steps, I was at a paltry 5,000 a day - nowhere near the 10,000 I was expecting. Now, after 3 weeks I'm averaging that 10,000 a day with an ultimate goal of 15,000. Small steps - literally small steps - do count. Don't get overwhelmed or discouraged. I bet you'll be walking 5Ks by summer.

Kate

Thanks Kate. Great quote and great idea. I am no where near 500 steps a day I would imagine. That would be a good thing for me to do. I could see my progress.

Just thought it was time for an update. There isn't much to say. I am getting a set of labs done next week and I am very excited about it. It has been almost three months since I had my last set done.

I feel fantastic as usual. It feels good to finally be on a path of consistent eating. We have found lots of fun and easy recipes that we enjoy and it is just becoming life.

I have lost 15 pounds so far this year. I am doing it more slowly than I could be simply because I want my family to enjoy the journey now that we are all eating the same. We do a pasta night, a pizza night, a taco night, a soup night, a risotto night, a spring roll night and a potato night. It is just becoming so comfortable. All of the recipes for those night are McDougall friendly although not MWL. That is why I am loosing more slowly and I don't mind a bit. I had a goal of 10 pounds a month. I reached that goal in January and I am halfway there in February. Slow and steady... that is what I keep telling myself. I have always wanted fast and instant results in the past. Now I just want a healthy and strong life. It's going great.

I'm so happy for you, Debbie. You sound so at peace and content. It's inspiring!

Great Debi Losing slow is much better..I lost all my weight on the regular plan too.
I am glad your Family is embracing this WOE too...it makes it so much easier to prepare just one meal ..Keep us updated..we are rooting for you

Goodness, I am not sure what happened to March. I was so busy!!! We had to go through another move, but we are blissfully happy in our new place. I am feeling fantastic and am not even seeing my doctor anymore. I got kind of tired of paying him $150.00 to say "keep doing what you are doing." I will start doing my labs every six months.

I stopped taking my blood pressure medicine. That was the last med I was on and I was happy to toss it in the trash, against the wishes of my doctor who said "take it forever." My blood pressure is great. I take it occasionally to check it.

I have lost a few pounds, but not as many as I would like. I think in part it due to lack of exercise, but I have jumped head first into that lately and it is going well. It is still way too rainy to walk outside, but that is my plan when it gets nice. I am enjoying my recumbent bike in the meantime. I am solidly in the 280's and have not seen 300 in the New Year and will never see it again.

So, all is well.

It is hard to believe it has been so many months since I visited the boards. Life has just been super busy and I have been vigilant about keeping my focus. There really hasn't been much change that I can physically see at this point since the last time I was here.

Once I embraced this lifestyle 100%, it changed my life. I will never go back. My family has gone back to occasional SAD foods. It hurts my heart, but I have stopped fighting it. I do the best I can within the four walls of my house and put the rest of my energy into healing ME.

I still struggle with watching family and friends suffer and die from things that could often easily be resolved just by food choices. That is hard for me. I am getting better at offering information and just letting go. Most often, the information is laughed at or ignored. It isn't like I don't understand it, considering I was that way once myself. I just have a hard time watching people suffer.

So, just for a summary of where things are. I still don't have insurance so I haven't had my labs done and haven't seen a doctor since the last post. My weight has dropped a bit. I am focusing more on that now that I have taken care of everything else. It feels pretty fantastic. I feel fantastic.

In summary... My diseases included Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Heart Failure, Hypertension, Diabetes, Arthritis, Crohn's, Celiac, and renal failure (end stage). I was on at least 5 different medications and they wanted me on several more.

Now: I am medication free. My heart is healthy and strong - no disease at all. My blood pressure is usually somewhere around 116/62. My blood sugar is 83. I have no symptoms of disease at all. I have moved from stage 5 to stage 4 with my renal failure and my hope is to continue that progress and prove everyone wrong. I have never given up that hope. My creatinine started at a 5.3 and last check it was 2.6. My current doctors told me that they will never retest me for Crohn's or Celiac because you cannot cure those disease. I disagree, knowing people that actually have cured those diseases, but I will just live symptom free and not be concerned with that right now. At some point I will get a new doctor. For now... I feel fantastic.

My focus is shifting to my weight loss. I am still struggling with that. I recently took peanut butter, nuts and seeds, and avacados out of my diet. I also cut out hummus and baked corn chips. I am steadily dropping again... as long as I keep those things out and exercise. I hope to be at my goal weight by the end of the year, but time will tell. I am super happy with the progress I have made up to this point. I am getting my labs done again in June, so that will be exciting. I know I am getting healthier, but it is nice to have it confirmed. My doctors don't understand why I am not making appointments and have actually called me at home a couple of times. I just keep telling them that I am not going to pay them $150.00 out of pocket to tell me to keep doing what I am doing.

I live my life now with the attitude that I am in perfect health. I eat what I want, when I want (plant strong) and I do not keep track of anything. My levels of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and sodium all remain in the normal range and I LOVE not having to keep track of that. I don't even think about being a sick person anymore. I just enjoy my life. It is still a challenge at times with food being such a focus of life... but I write my blog and that keeps me focused.

Isn't that a wonderful place to be? I'm not there yet but I can see it from where I am and I can't wait to be there!

-Norm

I am not completely there yet either, but living in that mindset creates that life more and more each day. I enjoyed reading on your blog and will enjoy following your progress.

I am Glad you posted...I was thinking about you earlier this week...wondering how you were doing..
You are doing great Debi Keep going....don't stress about your family members not "getting" it....I was talking to a "brick wall" for many years(Hubby)....He is still not onboard fully, but he is eating much healthier since his bypass last year..He has even had some meds reduced ...we can only help ourselves...we can show others what they need to do, but in the end it is up to them
Take Care...as Jeff N would say.."In Health"

Great mind set to have. Way to go.