Annette's Journal

[sirdle]

Hi Annette,

I understand your frustration. I seem to remember Doug Lisle talking about partners who try to validate their own way of eating by rejecting yours. I'm fortunate in that my wife is extremely supportive (and will gladly eat anything I cook), but I can remember my mom (who was always trying to lose weight) making a low-fat meal once... and my dad threw the plate against the wall, said he wasn't going to eat that crap, and stormed out of the house. Now, he has a pacemaker. But he doesn't remember any of this because he has Alzheimer's too. Very sad.

My wife and I married in our 30s. From the very start there has been her stuff, my stuff, and our stuff... her laundry, my laundry, and our laundry... her money, my money, and our money... her hobbies, my hobbies, and our hobbies... her food, my food, and our food.

Things which affect both of us, we discuss. I don't say anything bad about her food choices. Ever. But we often have discussions about my choices... because I want her to understand who I am and why I make the choices I make. (The flip side is also true. ) It works because even when she disagrees, she doesn't try to change me. I guess it sounds weird, but it has always worked for us.

I think you're right to focus on the foods that you need to eat in order to be healthy. If your husband wants to join you on that journey, great. If not, he can cook his own meals. Perhaps when he sees your health improving he'll change his mind. Or maybe not. It's not really something you can control.

Cheers,

[AnnetteW]

Thanks Sirdle for your comments. I also have to not project what I assume are his feelings in my comments also. Though I think it would be marvelous if he'd just embrace my new eating style, it's silly of me to just expect that. I know better, I'm not stupid. I guess it just makes me a bit sad, that's all. I think I'm just a bit scared right now.

Yesterday went totally as planned, and it was easy and I think I'm starting to Embrace the Starch as a new way of eating. It's actually so easy.

I've been waking up hungry, which is a new feeling for me. In fact, I'm going to bed with just the tiniest bit of emptiness in my belly. I can feel it. Usually I'd wake up and enjoy 3 cups of coffee and not even concern myself with food in the morning until 10ish. I was never hungry in the morning.

NOW I'M HUNGRY....early!

Why is that? I might have to ask in the Lounge. So once I realized this might be a 2-breakfast day, I toasted up two slices of my own home baked whole grain sourdough bread (yes, I bake), and topped it with cherry jam, along with 2 cups of green tea. And that was all before 7 AM. It's kind of a weird feeling actually.

Weight was 154 this morning, yesterday was 155. So I think it went back up after the colonoscopy and now is back to my "real" weight. All is good, and now I just want to see it continue to drop at this point.

Plan for today:

Breakfast - tea, wholegrain sourdough bread, jam

extra early Lunch - wholegrain pasta, tomato sauce with veggies

Snack - Watermelon (gobs...can't resist it right now)

extra early Dinner (it's dance class night) - Salad with potato and garbanzo beans

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

[sirdle]

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

Dance class? What type of dance?

[Lyndzie]

Please share your bread recipe!

[AnnetteW]

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

Dance class? What type of dance?

My husband and I do country western dancing. We used to do tons of two-step classes and dance nights at the bar, but after our favorite place closed down and my foot surgery, that sort of went downhill fast.

Now we do couples partner dancing and line dancing. Lessons are Tuesday evenings for us, and then 1x a month dance party, and any time we might go to a dance club. We still two step, and quite well, but nothing like we used to.

[AnnetteW]

Please share your bread recipe!

Sourdough bread baking is more of a formula, at least how I bake. I don't get too fancy.

150 g sourdough starter
250 g water
400+ g flour (either all white, half and half, or just toss in whatever I want at that time)
9 g salt

I use a stand mixer rather than lots of hand mixing/kneading due to eczema (maybe it will go away eventually.) Rise, deflate, shape, rise, etc.

Bake - there's tons of great instructionals on YouTube.

I'm pleased to be able to eat my bread...I will admit that I miss the butter, alas.

[AnnetteW]

Feeling good, was so hungry yesterday all I did was eat, and I drop 1/2 a pound, love it!

Today's plan:

Breakfast - cooked barley, blueberries, soymilk, dash of stevia, ground flax

Lunch - cooked potatoes, brussel sprouts

Snack - fruit

Dinner - polenta with mushrooms, salad

Exercise - gym class

[sirdle]

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

Dance class? What type of dance?

My husband and I do country western dancing. We used to do tons of two-step classes and dance nights at the bar, but after our favorite place closed down and my foot surgery, that sort of went downhill fast.

Now we do couples partner dancing and line dancing. Lessons are Tuesday evenings for us, and then 1x a month dance party, and any time we might go to a dance club. We still two step, and quite well, but nothing like we used to.

Sounds fun!

[bunsofaluminum]

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

Dance class? What type of dance?

My husband and I do country western dancing. We used to do tons of two-step classes and dance nights at the bar, but after our favorite place closed down and my foot surgery, that sort of went downhill fast.

Now we do couples partner dancing and line dancing. Lessons are Tuesday evenings for us, and then 1x a month dance party, and any time we might go to a dance club. We still two step, and quite well, but nothing like we used to.

What fun! Dancing is one of my favorite things to do. I'd say you got your exercise, any night that you dance

[keithswife]

Please share your bread recipe!

Sourdough bread baking is more of a formula, at least how I bake. I don't get too fancy.

150 g sourdough starter
250 g water
400+ g flour (either all white, half and half, or just toss in whatever I want at that time)
9 g salt

I use a stand mixer rather than lots of hand mixing/kneading due to eczema (maybe it will go away eventually.) Rise, deflate, shape, rise, etc.

Bake - there's tons of great instructionals on YouTube.

I'm pleased to be able to eat my bread...I will admit that I miss the butter, alas.

I just started a fresh batch of sourdough starter this week. I can't wait to try to make a loaf.

[Aprincess]

Exercise - not much, dance class might be it.

Dance class? What type of dance?

My husband and I do country western dancing. We used to do tons of two-step classes and dance nights at the bar, but after our favorite place closed down and my foot surgery, that sort of went downhill fast.

Now we do couples partner dancing and line dancing. Lessons are Tuesday evenings for us, and then 1x a month dance party, and any time we might go to a dance club. We still two step, and quite well, but nothing like we used to.

I used to do country line dancing several nights per week. It was GREAT exercise and so much fun. But, the one and only country dance club in the area closed up. It was great fun, though!

~ Amy

[AnnetteW]

Amy, that's our problem too, the place we danced at regularly closed down quite a few years back now. We dance at other places, but it's not the same. I'm sorry, but I loved the environment at the bar with the neon lights, a good dance floor, sparkly jeans, etc.

Keithswife, good luck with your bread baking. It sounds like you know how to bake bread already. There are a few FB groups on sourdough bread baking that I follow. I don't worry about all the fancy schmancy stuff, I just make a loaf at a time, and lately I slice it up and freeze and take out a piece now and then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My thoughts for today are about a party my husband and I are going to this Saturday. Usually our large group of friends (all dancers) do the potluck thing. This time they are hosting a birthday party and making the meal. BBQribs, slaw, veggie platter, baked beans, dessert, booze.

I had emailed her to find out what she was making, and mentioned that I was following a diet and if she'd mind if I brought something for myself along. Which of course she said is fine.

Now I'm wondering if I want to bring anything, or just eat a substantial meal at home prior to leaving.

I do not like sticking out in a crowd, and I don't consider myself "strong" in situations like this. I'm not worried about being encouraged to eat something, that's not an issue. It's more of my own caving in to something yummy sort of situation.

Until I try the "not eating at a party" thing, I won't know if I'm able to do it or not.

Originally when I started the whole WFPB thing I told myself I'd allow myself to eat a more vegetarian meal at a party, not stress too much over it (and I can still make that decision), but when I did it over the 4th of July (2 parties) I felt quite miserable.

I have no worries about eating the Ribs, that's just out of the question. I'm also not worried that eating a small plate of the other items will derail me, as in staying off plan the next day. Nah....I adore this way of eating.

Or do I bring my own food, or do I just bring another side dish...just because. I wouldn't doubt if others do too since that's what we usually do, the potluck thing. I could always bring some hummus.

Dang, like I said, I'm not that strong yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Plan for today:

Breakfast - oatmeal, banana, soymilk, dash of stevia (oops I forgot my flax seeds)

Lunch - left over polenta, some sort of sauce with tomatoes and mushroom and onions, maybe a salad

Snack - fruit

Dinner - corn on the cob, green beans, pinto beans

[sirdle]

Dang, like I said, I'm not that strong yet.

I don't know if I'll ever be that strong.

We're going to a birthday party on Saturday, too. Same thing. I'm packing a "box lunch" for my wife and me to fill up on right before the party. I'm hoping that will curtail my appetite, and so turn a possible fall into a stumble.

Good luck!

[AnnetteW]

Sirdle, I think I will just plan on eating a large dinner before heading out to the party. Then I can let the evening go as it may, with little stress over it. If I eat some beans and slaw, so be eat...a piece of cake, heck yea. I just really have to watch the wine, that is my vice.

I have not major thoughts for the day, yea....a clear brain for a change.

Weight was 153.4 this morning, up 2 lbs from last week, but don't forget that weight loss was right after my colonoscopy, but being up ONLY 2 lbs is amazing for me.

I don't seem to have any issue with the low fat part of this plan right now. I haven't have nuts or seeds, other than a bit of ground flax with my breakfast.

Last night's dinner was so yummy, it was just 2.5 ears of corn, and I heated up a can of pinto beans and added a little seasoning. My tummy was happy and my blood sugar was only 82 this morning. Perfect. I'm tempted to eat the same again today.

Lunch out is with the gal pals today at the Longhorn. I guess that means a potato or sweet potato and veggie. I know to ask that there is no "butter" added to the broccoli. I need to go peruse the menu a bit more.

Plan for today:

Breakfast - cooked millet, blueberries, ground flax seed, dash of stevia, soy milk

Lunch - something at Longhorn (either potato/veg or a salad), wine???

Snack - frozen watermelon

Dinner - corn and beans

Exercise - dance tonight, no gym today, rest up the bod a bit

[AnnetteW]

Now I finally think my body is back to normal, and it totally pisses me off. Oh well...that's just how it goes.

Up in the 155 range again, but on my tracking sheet I can see that my "lean/water" is back up to it's more normal place, and the "fat" has actually dropped a bit. So that whole colonoscopy thing actually messed up my body for a good 2 weeks. The first 3 days of the weird low fiber diet, then the fast, then the day of, which is still a low cal day, then the next few days where things are still odd, then the full week of the body just getting back to normal. I could literally just knock those 2 weeks out of my "tracking sheet" and it just looks like nothing happened.

I still am just eating a bit too much to lose weight noticeably quick enough, but dang, I enjoy eating so much. This diet makes me truly happy.

One thing I'm absolutely ecstatic about (not sure if I've talked about it or not) is that my aches and pains are gone. For years now I kept wondering what was wrong with me, things would just hurt off and on, some days more, some days less. Recovery from exercise took forever. I had foot surgery a few years ago which naturally made walking an issue for quite a long time, but then my ankles started to hurt so badly, and the bones in my foot, and the doctor said it was arthritis.

That pain is GONE!!!!!!

My wrist was hurting so badly when I was first starting WFPB back in February. That pain is gone!!! until I put weight on it in my yoga class, but that's different. Knee pains are gone, most the time. Now my knee gets a little tired from lots of exercise, but that goes away.

This is something I have to remember and keep telling myself if I every want to go off the plan.

I was a bit lax this past weekend. The party was fun and I did enjoy the food. But I was terribly aware of the overly rich flavors and salt too. Then Sunday my husband and I went to our favorite Indian buffet, and I can stick to the vegetarian foods quite well, but I still over indulged. And I can honestly say, I'll do it again in a few weeks.

But lunch out with friends was fine. I did enjoy a glass of wine. I ordered a large salad, used vinegar, and put chunks of the baked potato I ordered on top. It was yummy. We have lunch out this coming Friday at the Cheesecake factory, so I need to decide my options before then.

Plan for today:

Breakfast - oats, flax, blueberries, soymilk, dash of stevia

Lunch - probably rice, lentils, brussell sprouts

Snack - fruit (have to go shopping for some though)

Dinner - planning on a taco salad

Exercise - day of rest