Grit and Determination

[AnnetteW]

Wishing you all the best with your biopsy results. I can imagine how stressful that is.

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

As sad as my August calendar looks, it is still pushing me back toward compliance. My medical tests are finished. Yesterday I slept most of the day due to being put to sleep for a biopsy procedure and taking pain meds. Hopefully, today I will stop taking the pain meds. I'll have to wait for the pathology report to know the next plan of action.

I am wavering back and forth from being compliant on the MWL plan and eating for convenience and not concerning myself with MWL food. I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I plan to start listening to Dr. Lisle lectures again. I need some incentive to care a little more than I have been recently. The cravings are strong for the highly palatable foods I have indulged in recently. I've noticed a specialized talent my mind has to convince me to believe devoutly in a falsehood, namely that certain foods will help me feel better! Thus, my willingness to cave over and over again. With Dr. Lisle's help I hope to out smart my brain and get back on track.

[AnnetteW]

I think the medical testing is probably forefront in your mind, which puts the diet lower. When the testing is all done, and your results come in (whatever they may be) you'll be more ready to focus on the diet. I know that I have a hard time focusing on multiple "high priority" items in my life at one time.

I've been listening and watching anything Doug Lisle lately. I'm also learning new things, and that makes me feel so good.

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Finally, a smiley face goes on my calendar.

Annette, you are so right. I thought I'd hold it all together but I didn't. That is just the way it went down last week and this week. Really, I've struggled with my diet since the end of July. I feel like I'm getting it together. Yesterday I was so happy to be eating MWL compliant food. It was so good and it was what I was craving. I made some good soup and last night I had a big salad. I ate some whole wheat pita bread with the salad so I didn't give my day a green smiley face, but I'm feeling good about my diet again.

I picked apples yesterday. I plan to make some apple butter. It will have some brown sugar in it, but not too much. I may save some without sugar. I love having fresh apples that don't have any food-grade wax on them.

[AnnetteW]

I picked apples yesterday. I plan to make some apple butter. It will have some brown sugar in it, but not too much. I may save some without sugar. I love having fresh apples that don't have any food-grade wax on them.

You could try making some without sugar, it would be a good experiment. But if apple butter is only an occasional "treat" in your diet, I'd look at it exactly as such. It's still going to be a "processed" and concentrated food source, definitely calorie dense. I wouldn't consider it compliant or a whole food, but that doesn't mean you can't eat it. Just be aware of that, and don't fool yourself. So basically the small amount of sugar probably doesn't make a difference. And actually, I be it literally doesn't make a difference, I'm sure you don't even need it in the cooking process.

Sorry to be a downer, just wanting to keep it real. I'm trying to learn not to fool myself into believing something is my best option.

Have a successful weekend and stay on top of your game.

[moonlight]

Thanks. I need to be mindful of it being processed whether it has sugar or not. I’m mainly making it for my husband. He loves it and I just love to have something I can cook that he likes to eat. I probably won’t eat much of it.

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

[sirdle]

3 big grins in a row!

Looks like you're getting back on track. Well done!

Cheers,

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Hi Sirdle, I'm getting back in my groove!

I have so much energy compared to last week. I think the drug-induced sleep from surgery gave me a burst of energy - or the lifting of the stress. We are waiting for a pathology report but the doctor felt like he removed all abnormal tissue so no need for further surgery.

I have lost a couple of pounds, too. I am focused on staying MWL compliant - no little cheats (I hope!). I'm looking forward to a day when my monthly calendar is a string of green smiley faces. I haven't achieved green ones yet because I can't exercise for a couple of weeks due to the surgery. It's funny that this calendar thing is motivating me. Whatever it takes!!

[AnnetteW]

Whoop whoop and yet another smiley face added to your calendar. It's a cute idea and anything that motivates is good.

Glad you are feeling well. Take care.

[moonlight]

August MWL Countdown
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

It's funny how much I want to go off plan when I do, but it is such a relief when I get back on plan! Seems like I could learn to just stay on plan!!

My pathology report came back negative. That all seems like a bad dream now. I am so thankful for my healthy body. Hopefully, I'll continue to get stronger in wanting to only put healthy food in it.

[AnnetteW]

Yea for good biopsy results! Now you can focus on the meal plan.

I totally relate to what you said. The moment I eat off of plan, my brain starts a conversation about how I should lighten up, enjoy myself, a little won't hurt...ah what the hell kind of comments. But I really do not want to go off plan. I'm enjoying it so much, the weight is coming off and I feel good (though why do I have some pesky knee pain lately?)

After my recent trip away I was super excited to get back to my own food, that didn't make me want garbage, but my oh my, I was ready to go back onto the morning caffeine drip. Nope, not allowed.

[moonlight]

Yesterday I ate out for lunch and dinner. My choices weren't great. I ate a few chips and some bread... I need to cook. I'm out of soup and I'd like to have a rice salad ready to go. Also, no beans cooked. For breakfast today I'm cooking a very long sweet potato. It looks like a boat.

Hopefully, after work I will do some cooking. Tonight I want to make sure I have a good satisfying dinner so I can continue with the Cram Circuit Challenge. I'm excited to kick my habit of snacking after dinner all the way until I go to bed. My challenge is to stop evening snacking. I'm hoping to drop the bedtime snack but for now I'm allowing one small snack before bed. Even though snacking in the evening usually doesn't add up to that many calories, getting to the place where I don't eat unless I'm hungry is important for long term compliance to a healthy lifestyle.

August MWL Countdown
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

[bunsofaluminum]

good news on your pathology report. What a relief! And I see so many smiley faces there! well done!