Sundove, you rock! That's the perfect info for me and I really appreciate you taking the time to post it
Lovemylife How was your week?
So my husband has been completely alcohol free since last Wednesday and I have too - except for Friday night. Despite my champagne then, I still feel really positive. We have been super successful so far
I have found my salt free condiments and going strong. Last night my husband made two kinds of bone in split chicken breast - one with jerk seasoning for the smoker (for him) and another with garlic, lemon, 21 seasoning salute, and a bit of the leftover champagne for me (the rest got dumped). I made a potato, mushroom, pepper, and scallion hash with plenty of dill and garlic, and steamed some green beans.
For the past week I've been just under 1500mg sodium, but yesterday I ended up at 900 (just because of some beef jerky). Today's plan is around 600. HUGE changes for me.
Next up, gym, and I'm looking into some yoga classes. Oh, and to top it off, we bought a new car on Saturday.
Long update, but hope you're all well. I'm feeling SO FREAKING GREAT!
Checking in. It's been ridiculously cold for the season here (YAY!) and so my daughter and I have been going for daily walks. Yesterday we went for two! She was the one that asked me
I weighed myself this morning, still maintaining. I'm still low in sodium, but I've been eating some sugar lately and I'm reigning that in. I figure while I get used to the no alcohol, I can certainly give myself time. If sugar helps me transition, then so be it. It's all fitting into my calories, but not making my stomach very happy! I have to go to the doctor sometime over the next few days - probably Friday - to see how my blood pressure is with everything going on.
I hope that you all having been great My laptop crashed over the weekend, so I've been like a fish out of water lol. Very limited posting for me. So I took it in on Monday and they wanted almost 200 to repair. I told them no way lol. That laptop was almost 6 years old, so I bought a new one.
Munchy That's great that you have cut down on your sodium intake. I really need to watch that. I've been trying to eat more vegetarian but most of the beans have a lot of sodium. I think that I'm going to start making my own in the crockpot. on the two walks and maintaing I love taking walks, it's so relaxing.
lovemylife We missed you! How annoying about your laptop! I have an old one that is probably about that old and I'm hoping it lasts for a while. I actually have a new one too, but I like keeping that in my office or bringing it home for work. The other I let my daughter use to watch TV or make little powerpoints or poems.
Canned beans can be high in sodium, but even Aldi sells them without added salt. If you want to make your own (which I have for years - THIS METHOD is awesome).
I'm a very homemade kind of person, but my downfall was when I was a single mom living on my own that I stopped making all of my own condiments. They're my weakness! I'm pickling my own jalapenos and was able to find a pretty good hot sauce (I hate making it!) as well as mustard without added salt. I make my own BBQ sauce, enchilada sauce, and marinara, but I'm trying to find a way to make my Thai peanut sauce and teriyaki without soy sauce. Even the lowest sodium is really high due to the fermentation process. I'm going to try to make some jerk paste as well.
Missed your update Munchy--
What do you attribute that success to? How are the lifestyle changes working out? Is it easier now? a struggle? Are you reworking the recipes?
I'm gradually finishing up my 0-cal dressings that have a lot of sodium. I thought of you last night--made some chili and added zucchini. Love those vegetables.
sundove I'm sure it's the medicine and the changes (no alcohol, walking more, drinking more water). I've always loved salt and thought nothing of using my multiple condiments on everything and in my cooking. Just those tweaks have helped tremendously. I actually tasted my dad's meal when we went out for mother's day and it was too salty for me! That never happens.
The two salad dressings that I bought are an oil free vegan Caesar from Whole Foods (20 calories/20mg sodium per 30g), and Cape Cod Balsamic with olive oil (70 calories/60mg sodium per 30g). I've cut a lot of cheese from my diet and no more beef jerky! For hot sauce, I bought Alex's Ugly Sauce (0 calories/10mg sodium per 5ml). For mustard I bought Westbrae Natural (0 calories/0mg sodium/5g).
The rest of everything I'm just making without salt - the marinara, enchilada sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, and my beloved pickled jalapenos.
Enjoy your CHILI!! I definitely should make some this week
Just wanted to say hi to you guys. It's been the same old, trudging along. I still feel good - but slipped up with the champagne. I'm working on getting my streak back. Happy Friday!!
Hi Munchy, Yeah, same here re trudging along. Slip ups are going to happen with big changes. Getting back to a good baseline matters more than 100% compliance. It's always hard to get back on track because the slips stir up the cravings. It's something I know I will have to deal with always because I don't want to be rigidly perfect. That doesn't seem like a recipe for happiness or even basic peace of mind.
I too have slipped up, actually really stumbling right now. Lack of time is what gets my eating behavior out of whack. I actually can deal with food deprivation much more than I can with free time deprivation. It always comes back to being assertive about needs & setting limits, the self-care piece...
The thing I'm noticing lately is that first I regained mental clarity and energy when I rebooted my weight loss with the strict diet. Then hunger & fatigue got in my way and I let a lot of things pile up. I started eating more & I got my energy & mojo back, for a while. But now that I'm overeating, I can feel myself withdraw into a kind of fog. I may as well be discussing a drug habit--never had that thank goodness, but I feel like I am 'using' re food. Anyway this fog/withdrawal bothers me more than my size or scale number. I'm getting back to exercise & hopefully that will be a better source of endorphins than food
Here's to us getting back our streaks!
Lovemylife How's it going? It seems like we were just talking about when is winter ending, & now it really has!
One more thing Munchy, meant to ask if you use a tracker for sodium. Just curious. I track, but only for planning purposes. Otherwise brings out my OCD side
sundove I think I can be an over the top "rule follower" or "planner" when it comes to food. I'm so rigid sometimes and lax other times. There is no middle ground for me! I do track my food (incl sodium) on MFP. My nurse friends told me that I cut too much sodium out, but my BP is good. We'll see what happens when I go for my follow up in the end of June. I had one bad day - pizza - these past few weeks - but I've been averaging 600-700mg per day and that one pizza day was under 2000.
Way to go with the reboot. Just in time for the warm weather, too. Have you tried any batch cooking? That's the time savior for me. No excuses if I have 30 varieties of healthy meals in my freezer, you know?
I just wanted to pop in and say hello and that I'm thinking about you two. I've been posting but I've also been spending a lot of time outdoors. I love the Spring besides all the rain that it brings :rainy:
Munchy That's awesome about your blood pressure. I plan on going to Aldi's this weekend to look for those low sodium beans. I wish I was a homemade kind of person lol. I just never seem to have the time. But when I do prepare things from scratch I never use salt. I tend to use Mrs. Dash. I am going to try your batch cooking, I really think that it will make my life so much easier and who wouldn't love that lol.
Sundove I'm sorry that you have slipped up and I totally understand about the lack of time. With work, kids and just life it's a hard balancing act sometimes. You will find your way back on the track, I'm sure of it. You've done so great, just keep it up.
Have either one of you heard of potato starch? I was thinking about purchasing some to add to some of my recipes. Have a great day. I'll be back later. I miss you guys
lovemylife I miss you too when we get too busy to post here! I haven't heard about potato starch--let us know how it works out! I always have cornstarch on hand, well the same box I've had for about 20 yrs, before GMO corn was invented ! How is the batch cooking going? What a great time to do it so you have more free time to enjoy being outside. Munchy thanks for that suggestion--I missed your post.
Re seasoning, I've been using Braggs seasoning--dried herbs to sprinkle on chicken or canned chopped tomatoes to make marinara sauce.
Munchy I didn't think it was possible to cut too much sodium. I think it's found naturally in almost any food. Plus your kidneys are designed to hang onto it if you don't have enough. How great that your BP is good--that must be a huge relief!
Yes this busy life presents us with the challenge to take care of ourselves! The first thing to go when I feel deprived of time is my diet. Time management or lack thereof, is a major source of stress in my life. A big thing was taking a class--pure pleasure--but it has keep me up late before a work day. I'll be glad when it's over in 2 weeks. There's no studying for it thank goodness--I would be in serious food trouble. Anyway, I'm starting to exercise and the feel-good energy from that will help my brain get off the food focus.
Thanks for the encouragement & support, much appreciated
My laptop crashed over the weekend, so I've been like a fish out of water lol. Very limited posting for me. So I took it in on Monday and they wanted almost 200 to repair. I told them no way lol. That laptop was almost 6 years old, so I bought a new one. 
I love taking walks, it's so relaxing.
! How is the batch cooking going? What a great time to do it so you have more free time to enjoy being outside. Munchy thanks for that suggestion--I missed your post. 
