Square One

[talkingmountain]

A few days on, then a few off... But considering all that's going on in my life (doing 2 people's jobs, applying for a big promotion, ailing mom & dying MIL, etc), I'm not going to beat myself up for it. Just made some good food to eat tomorrow and will start fresh tomorrow.

At least I've exercised every single day. That's my promise to myself, and the one way I know to manage the stress.

[sksamboots]

Hey you,

I missed you. Glad your back.

[Anna Green]

Hi. You have a lot going on. And exercising every day is a good accomplishment. Making good food is the way to start for sure. I don't have a chance in hell if I don't have food prepared.

Keep on keepin on as Boots always says.

[kittyadventures]

HI TM
Sending hugs your way... caring for ailing parents is very streesfull... keep up the good work....am keeping bendy bits crossed that you get the promotion.

[talkingmountain]

Boots & Anna, so great to see you are still around. Kitty, welcome!

Today was a 4 hrs of driving to get supercharged allergy therapy - 8 shots in each arm over 4 hrs. This doc's method gets you up to "maintenance" dose in one day so hopefully I'll start having some relief in the next few months.

Unfortunately I used the drive, my exhaustion, and worries as an excuse to eat in a way that does not support my health. At all.

But tomorrow is a new day.

MIL is now unconscious except for occasional bouts of agitation. Don't know if it will be days or weeks till she passes. She's borne the heavy burden of COPD for quite a few years. She's a wonderful lady, so smart and engaged right up till the last few months, and I'll miss her.

All the best to you all.

[bunsofaluminum]

hey Talkingmountain! wonderful to see you again. '

so sorry to hear about your beloved MIL fading away. I pray her passing will be peaceful.

and proud of you for coming back, and being brave enough to continue posting, and continue making progress and make the changes that you know are going to benefit you and your kids!

yay!

blessings, Heidi

[talkingmountain]

Thanks buns (ya, I know, I could call you Heidi but "buns" is so much more fun!). Boy, your wt ticker is looking GOOD, girlfriend. Keep up the good work!

Didn't have the energy last nite to make a good lunch. Had the usual "meusli" for breakfast & some instant oatmeal for mid-morning snack. Will use part of my walking time to go to a grocery store & get a veggie-&-bean based frozen meal. Just filled up on fresh watermelon so I won't be tempted by other things.

Am really antsy today b/c I left my cell at home, and texting on it is the only way I've been able to get my dh to keep me updated on his mom's condition.

[talkingmountain]

It's been a hectic time since I last posted. My dear MIL passed away, and we've been recovering from that. I applied for and didn't get a much-desired promotion (it wasn't your typical application process - 14 page application + resume + two half-hour public-speaking presentations.. whew).

Last night I finally got down to the bottom of the pile of mail covering the entire dining room table (we've been eating in the recliners in the family rm ), and the bottom was mid-May's mail, so now I'm trying to get the late bills paid I will forever think of it as The Summer That Wasn't.

Anyway, I'm trying to focus on getting my health back (now that I no longer have to focus on working my a-- off hoping to get promoted )

Since Sunday I've been back on track. I can feel the health coming back. My face is losing that puffy look, the circles under my eyes are fading, and my skin is starting to get smoother. Already I'm down to one Aciphex (GERD medicine) a day instead of two, and the hot flashes and headaches are less frequent and severe.

My hips really hurt these days, not sure why. One night it was so bad I couldn't sleep. Usually joint pain a result of eating dairy but I'm being VERY careful for more than a week, so the pain should be gone, not worsening.

TODAY'S STATS
BP - 129/69; Pulse - 55
Exercise - About 20-25 minutes walking (very hot out)
Food -
- 7 am & 9 am - My Muesli (fresh blueberries w/thick-cut oatmeal, handful of walnuts, cinnamon, cardamom, topped w/unsweetened almond milk ).
- 11:30 am - Baked potato topped w/baked beans; grilled squash/onions/tomatoes topped w/sauce made by blending some of the same veggies w/some hummos & lemon juicie; 1/2 can diet coke.
- 2 pm - more of above (except the coke).
- 4 pm - toasted flagel & about 1/4 cup restaurant hummos; 2 dates.
- 6 pm - not hungry enough to make supper: had bowl of whole-wheat flakes, blueberries, handful of almond slices, topped w/almond milk. 2 mustard pretzels (these are about 1/2 inch square each, very small... ate them b/c the open bag left by dd was staring in my face, so I closed it up pronto and put it away).
- 8 pm - 1.5 dried pineapple rings; 3 almonds; lemon zinger tea.

For those of you that know me... notice the distinct lack of full-caff coffee or chocolate in this day's food...

[talkingmountain]

TODAY’S STATS
BP 133/73; Pulse 73
Exercise – About 30 mins total walking, in chunks as I did errands
Food – I was hungrier than usual all day, especially in the morning
• 7 am – My Muesli (half was plain instant oatmeal – ran out of Bob’s Red Mill), Berry Zinger tea
• 10 am – More My Muesli
• 11:30 am – Baked potato, baked beans; grilled squash/onions, whirred veggie/hummos sauce; Peach; ½ can diet coke
• 2:30 pm – Toasted whole-wheat bagel, 1 Amandine yogurt (100 cals)
• 4 pm – 2 dates
• 5 pm – 2 pcs Dentyne gum (not sugar free)
• 6 pm – 6 E2 chocolate chip cookies (made w/powdered dates instead of sugar), abt 1/2 cup almond milk

Clearly I went too heavy on the sugars today. The more sugar I eat, the more I want. I was very hungry today for some reason today, too, and didn’t have enough veggies & starches on hand. On the positive side, though, I did stop in the grocery store on my walk, to get some mint for tabouli, and it didn’t even cross my mind to buy a bag of cookies (a habit that I’ve been trying to break for months)!

The cookies came about because a couple of days ago, I discovered a bag of chocolate chips that I’d failed to get out of the house; they’d been a distraction since then and I had no one to give them to, so I decided to bake up some McD-legal cookies and freeze them. I do think I have to stay away from chocolate altogether, as I can literally feel the rush when I ate a few chips. Fortunately my family & houseguests will snarf up the 3 dozen cookies (they are small) within a day or two.

[Anna Green]

Hi! I haven't visited in a bit and was happy to see you. I'm so sorry about your Mother in Law.

Good for you in your consistency in exercising. I know I say this all the time but it is so motivating for me to eat right. I hope it does that for you too. I like the idea of your hummus sauce. I think I will try.

Prep is important for me too. I don't have a chance w/o it. So I've been having good food available all of the time. It doesn't mean I don't mess up because anyone who knows me knows I do. What it does mean is that I eat well most of the time and make progress-slow progress but still...

[talkingmountain]

Thanks Anna. Slow progress is progress all the same.

Today was tougher... more cravings for sweets. Not too surprising since the more I have them the more I want. I didn't do a good job of nipping that in the bud today.

Also, today was less of a normal routine. My niece & nephew are spending the weekend with us (they eat SAD only so it's hard to prepare food they will like) and that's thrown us all off.

Todays Stats:
BP 137/73; Pulse 61
Exercise – About 30 mins walking
• 10:30 am – My Muesli, Green tea
• 12 pm – Iced coffee w/ soymilk & chai flavorMy Muesli
• 2:30 pm – WW toaste bagel w/restaurant hummos, lettuce, tomato, & onion; Greek salad (most feta removed) w/abt 2 tbsp conventional dressing
• 5:30 pm – Small coke; 1/4 hot soft pretzel
• 6:30 pm – 9 E2 choc chip cookes; Abt 1 c almond milk.
• 9:30 pm – 1/2 ring dried pineapple

I really let the day deteriorate into a processed food-fest towards the end. I've worked too hard to lose the progress I've made, so tomororrow WILL be a better day.