Ok, so I have this 1 acre property in Alaska. I paid squat for the property because it has some junk on it.  There is a old conex, a 208-448 sq. ft. shed, an old camp trailer, and a BUS… Rusted top on the bus. I will travel up there to assess this spring. But I am thinking RE-PURPOSE~ I have the Camp Trailer with sink, bed etc.. I could rip the stuff out of that and put it in the bus. The bus will be stationary, so I could just make it like a one bedroom.

But I am going to need a greenhouse too. I am really leaning towards the green house. I love to grow my own foods and can them. Living in Alaska for most the year, I will need to start my entire garden from a green house. I am also thinking of a rocket mass stove to heat it. This journey is incredible for me. I am so excited to be discovering each detail for my future life. In short I am a prepper.

I am leaning towards the greenhouse. I see so much more potential to the abandoned bus than its previous owner.

On the diet side of things: I met with my trainer, he went through my work out with me and let me know I am doing very well - except, I cannot get my heart rate up high enough to burn the fat. But I am maintaining. I want to jog, but I know I can’t (without sustaining an injury), So my very fast walk will have to do for now. If I could swim again, I wouldn’t need any help at all~ Trainer likes the progress, and I have a beautiful shell of muscle under this other shell of fat.

Meet with the Gastric Bypass Team on Friday. Should prove rather interesting.

Moving on:

I have been thinking about size and what that means to my life. I saw a video clip about a woman who lost 500 pounds.  I try to envision 500 pounds - what that is? What weighs 500 pounds??? A small car? You know, I don’t think i have a piece of furniture that weighs that in my house.  I am baffled, but she did lose the weight. She held up a skirt that was her “nice” skirt. She said it was 12 feet of material to fit her body and was very tight. This provoked my thoughts about my size. I work out everyday - 5 days a week. I noticed today on a weight machine that I didn’t fit right. i think my first goal should be to fit into the machines that I am using daily.  Eventually I will be moving to all free bar, but until I lose these monster thighs, not good idea. (BABY GOT BACK is an understatement) Amazing what a little broken back, hip and a couple chronic diseases can do to a body. Oh, I am whining again. Sorry! continuing on:

I was thinking about my clothes (size). They are at the largest they will ever be for the rest of my life. My body is different than when I was close to this weight some 20 years ago. I weighed 10 pounds more back then, and was a size 22 (PLACE WIDE LOAD SIGN HERE) - So what is different?  I have been working out since I wrote Technologic - I committed to that. Today I am 10 pounds lighter than when I lost the 100 pounds 20 years ago - but I am a size 16 - and I am getting smaller. I am not losing any weight, but I am noticeably smaller as my 16’s are falling off what is beginning to look like a waist. Kinda cool in my book.

My posse of doctors are baffled. They do not understand any of my health problems and they are the experts. I am going to be the subject of a study if I chose to do it. I am pondering that. I don’t know if I want to be under any more microscopes - by my issues are fascinating to them.  I should be depressed, but I am good. I know I have all these issues, I live and enjoy life as much as possible.  My big question to the world, if anyone feels the need to answer is this:

Will weight loss reduce pain for someone who suffers from lupus and fibromyalgia? My Rheumatologists think “NO.” Anyone want to comment on this - I would to hear what you have to say? Doctors do not know everything. If they did, I wouldn’t be itching daily from these 2 diseases.

Big compliment for me this week: I was approached by a woman I know. She is a lovely size 7 and looks very healthy to me. She wants me to train her, Sculpt her body. She is looking for that chiseled look and is convinced that my work out regime will do this. In short, she will settle for no less than me. How honored am I. Will write more about the training ; we start tomorrow. At her size, I think this look she wants will be here in record time.

On the Techno Side - I broke down and purchased an IPHONE.

I had one more Ah Ha moment. My brother lost his home to the economic crisis. He is not the only person I know this has happened to either, he is just the closest. This shattered his life and really put into perspective what I want to do. When I talk about my new properties, know that I purchased them with cash. I own them and outside of some very low yearly taxes - no one cares about them but me. Knowing your retirement properties are paid in full is beyond comforting. I just had to say that.

Since Technologic was written, I have had many changes in my life. I have purchased property in 2 places in the middle of no where, Alaska &  Nevada.  I have found myself at the mercy of several doctors who prescribed multiple medications that only treat symptoms and not causes. I have been on 2 medically monitored diets to not only cause weight reduction, but to minimize pain from my 2 chronic diseases (didn’t work either).  There is so much more, but I am writing today to talk about off grid living and the prepping that I am doing for that lifestyle.

My Alaskan Property is a simple acre of beautiful land. It is close to a lake and the Kenai river (hunting & fishing). On the backside of my property, there is a wildlife refuge that is federally protected. No one will ever build there. I purchased this dirt cheap before all the programs started on discovery, my property value has shot through the roof as a result of those programs. I am keeping it.  Low taxes, and I could always build a mini resort on it for fishermen to stay at. Right now, this will be my primary living place once I leave California (land of high tax).

My Nevada property is 40 acres. It is in the high desert and has a nice year round river running through it. We most likely be living there for maybe 3 months out of the year. I am looking at the alternative fuel lifestlye there, but I am thinking of container living or just drop a mobile home on it and hook it to a generator. I don’t know if I want to spend the time developing too much. This is the second phase of my plan, I am still toying with it.  But I also own this outright, no mortgage etc… Taxes are low!

Back to Alaska: I have plans for a “tiny house” that a fellow Prepper gave me. I have solar panel & windmill plans as well.  I have already built a greenhouse here, but will build a much bigger one there with an average of 19 hours of daylight in the summer, I want to take advantage of the growing season. I am an excellent “canner” and will can everything I can get my hands on, including the meats. I figure by the time we move to this wild and beautiful country, I will have prepped one year’s worth of food for 2 people.

There is so much more. Everything that we are doing after we leave this convenient life, will be done by hand. We will not need to rely on power to function. There will be significant alternatives to living, including composting septic systems (this is the most challenging hurdle by far) Our main transportation will be snow mobiles and quad runners. We have to drill a well and already have the water storage tank but we still need to figure out the pump - It is so exciting planning this way. It is even more exciting knowing that a power outage and rotary phone set these plans in motion.

I cook and bake everything from scratch now. Nothing processed and as organic as possible (lupus like organic). Cooking takes longer - cut and dry. I even make my own bread. I am tired of spending and sending all my $$$money to someone who barely deserves it because it is more convenient than doing to myself. I don’t want to get political with my blog. Lets just say, I am becoming my own self governing Homestead.  I am prepping for the rest of my life.

I figure this will take about 5 years, and since I own my property - I don’t have to be in a hurry. This spring I will spend a month in Alaska. I am curious to see the progress that is made. I already have a mobile to live in there while building. I want to own everything - no credit whatsoever. When the house is built, I will own it. There will be no bills tied to the house. This may take several years, but it it my intent. When I walk into my Alaskan Home to live permanently,  I will not have a bank hovering over it. Watching several people lose their homes this last year has influenced my decisions to build this way. We may buy power in Alaska, who knows. It might be good to have a back up.

About the Diet thing: this is supposed to be a diet blog…

Doctor (s) Prescribed: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ I mean it too. This is my diet. I am weighed in, I am counseled and I am following it to a tee. I am gaining weight - the doctors know this as well.

Quick bypass rant: There are 3 types of Gastric Bypass surgery I am being offered: Lap band, roux en y (most common) and the Gastric Sleeve. I am looking at the sleeve. I cannot do the band - my lupus most likely will attack that.  The roux en y seems brutal for healing and there are absorption issues that are permanent. The sleeve offers less issues and heals much quicker. The reason I have agreed to explore this option is because my cardiologist says that I cannot get my heart rate high enough to burn enough fat to lose weight. Starvation does not work - While my stress test did not reveal any problems to my heart, it did reveal that elevating my heart rate proved difficult. It seems my heart rate goes up and after a few seconds adapts and goes back down… It took my heart doc approx 20 minutes to increase my heart rate to 150. This is not good for weight loss. I thought this was interesting and  I don’t understand this at all and neither did he.

So I work out 5 days a week as prescribed by my doctor. These works outs are low impact, and I can do them and not fall over from the pain. It took several weeks to design the home work out. My gym work out is simple, they have those curve machines that I set to the desired resistance and I get a nice work out from it. It is not really burning fat, but more about building muscle. This will be beneficial later. Maybe this is why I am gaining weight ???  That is my diet stuff for now.

My veterans medical clinic called last night and left a very weird message. I had already spent hours on the phone with them about my new lifestyle plan. (still drinking coffee ) I was told that I would have to jump through those hoops that already jumped through last year. I had done several months of this program until my doctor switched me up… Anyway, The call was from the Bariatric center - not the dietitian I spent hours on the phone with - I leave a message with the center and with the dietitian.

The Bariatric nurse calls me and says that she received the recommendation from the dietitian to put me through the clinic. She wanted me to know that I would be getting a call from her team to make an appointment to meet the Surgeon, The Shrink and the Team. They would evaluate me at that time for surgery. Having this appointment is not a guarantee to me getting surgery, etc…

I am pretty floored right now. Still can’t believe it.  But I think that my big Dad upstairs is taking care of me.

the dietitian called and tells me she went ahead and made the recommendation. What a sweetheart.

Worked out today, had to modify a bit as my ass is killing me from the squats. My fibromyagia is in full swing - so I am pretty sore. Need to go chill. I have much research to do.

The new list encourages working out. 10 min treadmill plus using the resistance training stations in the back of my gym. I am to do 8 reps/3 times for each machine, slowly working up to 12 reps/3 times. I will stay at the 10 minute warm up.

I did this work out today. My hands are already killing me - hurts to type. I tend to push through pain, so I will continue writing.  The 10 minute walk didn’t seem like much at the time, but I am actually feeling it now. I need to see what I am doing wrong on one machine, it is making my neck hurt. But you know I have a couple chronic diseases that contribute to the pain. Nevertheless, a 217 pound woman working out will be stiff. Rite?

There are a few dietary suggestions:

Basics: no sugar, salt high fat stuff

No carbonated drinks

Wean off coffee - I drink one cup a day, but have done so religiously for years.

No sweeteners

Grade my processed food (when I eat it) I have a app for this called fooducate, kinda neat actually. Do not eat anything below a b. LOL

Olive and Canola - I don’t fry anything

She mentions switching to the fake egg stuff and having veggies with breakfast. Why not! She was super nice. I really enjoyed talking to her. I think she really cares too. WOW!

Not so easy things to stop: My husband sits at about a 4.5% body fat. We are quite a cute couple - I mean really, I am 5 foot tall and he is 5′10″. So when I stand in front of him, I just hide him except for the last 5 inches. Be we are in love so… This should be easy right? I don’t know.  My husband is a loader when it comes to eating. He will graze lightly during the day and at night he will eat until he drops. All the good stuff too, chocolate, ice cream, a very nice sized dinner I might Add as I am an excellent cook. (I really am!) This has to stop, or be done somewhere else. He does it right in front of me, because we often talk about our days when this is happening or watch some building program together.

Well, I report back in a month. We will see how this goes.  This area with my hubby is probably one of my weakest points in my diet. I just smell the yummy stuff and want it. So I may have to go out or do something that avoids his behavior if he is not willing to do this one for me. He has done it since I have known him… I am the one with the problem. UGH!

enough for today. Feels more like a journal/diary than a blog.

I am sick. Sometimes having lupus with fibromyagia can be challenging. It is painful to say the least, but I have adapted to living in pain.

So my doctor put me through all these hoops. I am a veteran, so to have any type of referral, it takes several months (11 to be exact) and lots of hoop jumping to get it. I have been asking about weight loss for pain management since Dec 2010. Last year, 2011, I was giving an online program to follow which I live by today, and told swimming would be a good exercise program for me. It was also noted that at my current weight, doing regular aerobic exercise is not recommended.  Doctor noticed that I was not losing any weight on the Military Program. He switched my diet (didn’t lose weight on that either) and sent me to a nutritionist who recommended the diet I was on before his.  basically, I did everything, put in the time, the non-progress, the pain and the hoops. He writes me a referral for consult for gastric bypass surgery because nothing is working. I was planning a little more time for this than right away.

I call to get my consult and was rejected. Flat out told no way. My doctor did this program with me, following all the guidelines (hoops!) and everything was done correctly. The only problem is he did it all for the wrong VA Center so all my work was done in vain.  Its okay right??? It is, I wanted a little more than a consult and jump into surgery. I was looking for a program.

SO I am at square one for this, and will re - jump through the hoops of the VA again. This time with the right Medical Center. I will do whatever they tell me to do, and who knows maybe this will work and I may not need surgery.

I cant swim because the lupus has made me allergic to water. (another blog on showering in the future) I cannot work out because my doctor has vehemently recommended against it. Pain is difficult to manage and pain killers make me itch. I cannot lose weight because I cannot work out.

Grrrrrrrrrrr - more later. I am a bit overwhelmed now.  I don’t think anyone is reading this - but it is good to write.

I spent a considerable time talking with my doctor yesterday about my everything; basically about my plate. While my plate is a diet, it is also a metaphor for my life.  I have done the diet yoyo for a considerable time; because I am overweight. I have tried many different types, low carb, low fat, low calorie, Weight Watchers, Sensa, etc… I am an accomplished dieter. Isn’t that nice.

The most dangerous diet I have put my body through is HCG Drops diet not knowing I have a chronic disease. The diet is 10-15 hcg drops 3 times a day with a very restrictive 500 calorie diet. I was on the second round of drops when the Lupus hit. I started getting sick, and I mean really sick, migraine headaches, blue fingers, I felt every joint in my body, allergies went over the top, just very very ill. This diet takes weight off - but is so terribly bad for me. I have been in full flare ever since. Part of me is grateful to have discovered just why I have been so sick off and on for many years of my life, the other part of me wishes I was ignorant.

For almost two years now, dieting has been my obsession, not to lose weight though,  but to fix my health issues. This “wellness”  part of my plate has defined my life. I looked at every diet under the sun. I have not found any diet that works with Lupus and Fibromyagia (fibro, yet another health issue caused by lupus).  No nightshade veggies allowed, sprouts are pretty bad, Gluten - forget about it. It is a vicious cycle really. Doc tells me forget that government approved diet (1/2 your plate veggies, 1/3 protein 1/3 whole grain, 1/3 dairy) and do this one. Beans, Veggies and Protein 3 times daily. It is everything the body needs. Sounds too good to be true, it is. I lost 8 pounds right off the top. (love the 1st week of dieting) then I immediately plateaued and started gaining. this is pretty much my body pattern.

Anyway… I am always in pain, I have great difficulty working out because of it - this is why I cannot lose weight to be truthful - I believe that I must work out vigorously to lose weight. I work out 2 days, I spend 4 in bed. WOW - so useless.  Ok. So I am still sitting at a whopping 217. Doctor Doctor..

Here are my problems:

SLE - Lupus: Joint and Muscle pain, Chest pain, Sun Sensitivity/Mylar Rash, Reynaud’s syndrome/aka: blue fingers and toes (weird), flu like symptoms (fevers and stuff), mouth and nose sores (OUCHIE), and just basically my ass feels kicked all the time.

Fibromyalgia: Chronic muscle pain, forgetfulness (fibro fog - LMAO), body feels stiff as a board, fatigue… Lupus has this effect too. Pain Pain Pain… Really now doesn’t one kinda sound like the other?  Sensitivity to smells and light…  MIGRAINE HEADACHES - truly I hate this part. Irritable bowel syndrome, this is fun.  You know I could probably do this all day.

In a nutshell, anything wrong with me is being blamed on my lupus and fibro. I am looking to my health and weight, at least for pain management.  Including my High Blood Pressure. UGH! That is pretty scary stuff.

Doctor Doctor…  your bean veggie protein diet doesn’t work. He tells me I know. He tells me he is recommending me for a gastric bypass as the lupus has made me allergic to everything under the sun. For pain management alone, this is his recommendation. It will also help the blood pressure and decrease the migraines (anything to get rid of the migraines - truly truly hell on earth).

He fills out the forms with me sitting in his office.

I am researching the hell out of this thing before I do it. But I am fearful he may be right.

For starters: I am no longer on 19 medications, The weight is not coming off as I hoped it would. Stubborn weight that I am trying to work off.

Here are my vitals:

Height: 5 foot

Weight: 217

BMI: OMG THATS HIGH!! 42

I have to say, I have weighed more in the past and lost it. I actually weight 227 many moons ago. I made some minor adjustments to my diet, swam daily and the weight came off rather quickly. That was like 20 years ago.  Lets just say I am no Spring Chicken anymore and I do not have a pool in my yard anymore.

wrist:  R-6.75 L-7

biceps: R-14.5 L-14.5

Waist: 42.5

Tummy: 51.5

Hips 51.5

Thighs: R-31 L-30.5

calf:  R-16.5 L-16

Chest 45.75

Neck: 15

Now I don’t know if I should be measuring all that, but I did.

Blog tomorrow

What is very strange is I do not look the weight. I have gone up one pant size - So I am happy about that.

I have revamped my life to include as much physical activity that I can with my diseases. I continue to look for ways to add activity to my daily routine. I slow cook almost everything in my life. Occasionally. I will hit the microwave to heat something up, but normally I reaheat the old fashioned way while standing, moving and patiently waiting. This change has given my calf muscles a nice look. They are big, but have shape now.

This change has dropped my electric bill $20 a month.  Slow Cooking has brought my food bill down some 200 dollars a month. I am working on figuring out the whole savings - but am working on adding homemade bread into the mix. I have been canning food. I went out for 40 minutes the other day and picked enough berries for 6 pints of jelly. This will take an eternity for my family to eat. How much is an organic jar of jelly??? I made 12 quarts of Spaghetti Sauce (organic) and saved close to $60, plus I get the activity as I do not sit down during the process. Canning food is work - but it saves money by the bucket load.

After living in a snow covered land this last winter, I noticed (after the melt) that many of my precious plants had suffered greatly. The snow literally burned the plants on one side, reshaped others to look like something out of Dr. Suess’s alphabet, and if the plant survived, dwarfed the growth considerably. I chose to dig up everything out of my garden. Anyone who knows me realizes this is not an easy task. I saved some 300 plants from certain death,  Re-shaped the dis-formed plants with wire, and brought back the snow burned plants (mostly my bamboo).  Many of my beautiful dogwoods were snapped in half. I was able to repair all of them - they are vibrant plants, though they will probably need to stay in my splint design forever.  I didn’t google once during the replenishing of my garden.  I saved every plant. Many of my friends just pulled and purchased new plants, I needed to show myself that I could do this. WHY??? Let me try to explain. I felt pressure to buy the new plants, almost policed to do so. I would turn on the TV and there would be something about Lowes for all your garden needs, or Just run down to your local nursery. I actually took one of my friends out to a nursery and watched her purchase pants at a great cost and thought What a racket. Media pressures me to spend. I will repel media whenever possible. I will buy only what I need.

I planned a wedding in 6 weeks - In short, it appeared I had been planning for a year. The wedding was wonderful, my Oldest daughter is thrilled and I have a new son in law.

I went to Alaska and realized this is going to be where my journey in life ends. It can’t stay where I live presently, with my diseases, I need a milder climate. I love living in the forest, but these last few winters have been trying with all the snow. So,  I bought and acre of property in Alaska. I will build a home that is not ruled by flat screens, computers, DVR’s etc… I will build a home that promotes quality of life - no sitting in front of a TV watching a movie for family night; hiking and fishing will be the norm. However, I will purchase a couple snow mobiles and a couple quad-runners. Just good fun in Alaska. There is a lake about 1/2 mile from my property and the Kenai River (SALMON???) is less than a mile hike away.

My cooking and canning skills will be monumental there. I am learning how to can fish so that we can store the food. Here is much for me to learn with regards to self-sufficient living.  I am not a survivalist, I am just a normal person who is tried of being pressured in life by commercials/advertisements and even the news.

Everyday, and I mean Everyday! when I turn on the Television - there is some product that will show me how to lose weight, How to look thinner, how to be more beautiful or HOW TO LOOK YOUNGER.  Be the change Lady, turn off the TV. To keep this short, Our society has sexualized everything. If you don’t look like this - something is wrong with you. I don’t believe it anymore. My health should be what they are talking about, not how I look.

Why not say: Wanna feel better! It is easy, simply add 40 grams of fiber to your daily intake and cut your calories,  while you are at it! Go for a walk in the morning and go for another in the evening, just a nice brisk walk.

I like that one. You just never see it. I watched 5 Dr.Oz shows, every one of them had a segment about weight, every segment was different.  I had to see a Rhuematologist to figure out my diet plan. When they say consult with your doctor, I think they mean it.  I have tried many of these crazy diets - the worst one was the HCG drop diet. It sent my lupus into full Flare mode and really hurt me. This site offers some good tips, and it is completely free. http://www.dietbites.com/ I don’t typically advertise - but the diet is nice, easy to follow and did I mention-FREE.

I appreciate all the comments - I never thought My blog would be read so many times. I am glad to know others are out there who understand my problems and are so supportive. What a wonderful world we live in. We should hold each other up high and respect the care shown here.
Thank you,

Tonkry