Andrea, I'm actually the opposite -- if I don't have grains, I'm starving. Other forms of fiber don't really seem to fill me up as well as grains do.
I fell off track a bit this weekend but not too badly. Today at work they had a catered breakfast celebration, but I only took one moderate plate full. There are three giant cakes in the break room though so we'll see if I manage to avoid eating cake later today. Hopefully by the time I cave to temptation other people will have eaten them all.
Sunday we went to the neighborhood pool. The kiddos splashed around and did a little swimming practice with their floaties on, and I tried swimming a couple laps. It's hard to believe that a few years ago I was able to swim a mile comfortably because wow, I was wiped out after just two laps!! The kids seem pretty excited about going to the pool a lot this summer though so maybe I'll get more swimming practice in. It's just tricky because we need two adults to be there for me to be able to swim laps so someone can keep an eye on the kids.
Jessica-- I missed your question to me. I am currently 132. Years ago my goal weight was 135 and I was happy to be there but I then lost more and was much happier with how I looked. I like to stay around 120-125 but I haven't seen those numbers in quite a few months. I should change my tickers! Dh thinks I'm entering menopause and I think he's probably right. I don't know if this sudden weight gain (15 pounds in 3-4 months) is temporary and will settle down after my hormones do???
Today will be another challenge at work. A small group is celebrating a teacher that's getting married. We are having lunch with her, complete with cake and other treats. Dh and I picked cherries over the weekend, and our competitive spirit got the best of us-- the two of us picked 22 pounds of cherries! Needless to say, I brought cherries to our celebration and I'm hoping to politely decline the sweets.
Tomorrow will be another challenge-- this week seems full of them-- and tomorrow I will be less successful in avoiding I'm afraid-- I'm going out to eat with two ladies from work-- one was an intern this year from Taiwan and we are going to an Italian restaurant. I suggested it as I've heard it's great and I'm scouting out places for when dh and boyfriend visit-- so.... not sure how healthy my options will be.
Tried to offset what I could this weekend with extra exercise! Yesterday I hiked 45 minutes with the dog, did 90 minutes of bikram with dh, and 60 minutes of Hot Pilates. Scale was down a pound. I would hope so!!
Andrea, that's fantastic! You give me hope and motivation. (As do all of you wonderful, terrific, accomplished, caring people)
I've decided that I may need to go back to cutting out entire food categories rather than relying on moderation. The latter approach works well when I feel fairly in control of life. That is not the case now. The new job is starting to come together with hospital duty and teaching, but the research lab still feels like a shambles, and I've got summer students and a new grad student about to start. I should be two steps ahead of them at all times, but starting over with a totally new research area has been overwhelming and I'm horribly far behind. In other news, we're looking at a house to potentially buy and starting that whole process. And still struggling with personal issues as well.
All that is to say, NO MORE: alcohol (easy); processed food (mainly flour-based; medium hard); or sugar (HARD). My hope is that this will free up some mental bandwidth for more important things (rather than: but I already had dessert yesterday... but it was a fruit dessert... but this is too, so it's ok...etc.).
JZJ, if memory serves, you are already eating vegan, with little or no added fats? I'm not sure if you're still adhering to those principles, but adding further restrictions may be counterproductive in terms of decreasing stress. You might at least loosen the restriction on the added fat, so you can prepare foods with olive and coconut oil. Also, cool that you have summer students and a new grad student. Does that mean you have outside funding now? That's amazingly quick.
Michele, the cherries have been wonderful this spring. Not sure what makes for such a bumper crop, but I'm not complaining. And I just get them at the farmer's market/supermarket. It must be more of a thrill to pick them yourself.
I'm working from home this week, we have DSS all week. His first week out of school.
I'm at the ER now with my MIL. She passed out while sitting reading in her chair this afternoon. It was disconcerting enough that it scared her, otherwise she wouldn't have told us. Turns out it has happened twice before, though didn't feel exactly the same as today.
And I'm starving.
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 05-31-2017 at 09:57 AM.
I see that in the bustle of Tuesday, I forgot to register my weight: Up to 156.
Wednesday, waking in an enormous casino hotel in Atlantic City, and I have no idea what I weigh, but I'll be headed to their small fitness center shortly. I hope the weather is better than yesterday's near-continual rain, as we plan to ride a trolley and walk around Cape May today, and also maybe see some birds.
I'm really struggling. I think I'm doing fine diet and exercise-wise, but am seeing little to no change in the scale. It's a bit depressing. Hopefully when my new meal delivery starts on Saturday things will change.
Thanks, Allison. So far we've ruled out her having a cardiac episode or stroke, and she doesn't have an infection. They are running a carotid ultrasound and probably a GTX (I have no idea what this is) today to make sure that there aren't any blockages to her brain. The only thing we have so far is that her BP spikes really high randomly.
I didn't get back to my house until 2:30. DH had to be at work at 7 and everyone else in his department is on vacation or out sick, so no wiggle room today. DSS is having three baby teeth extracted at the dentist at noon. Back to the hospital after that if MIL hasn't been released yet. Long long day around these parts.
Thinking of you, Shannon.... take care of yourself too... not just everyone else...
Ditto. These kinds of days are definitely sent to try us.
Allison, hang in there. You know that you are on the right path, regardless of what random scale data is being generated.
Andrea, in answer to your question (hang on tight, here comes the crazy): I've been mostly vegan for many years, eating rare eggs and rare seafood. I've been adding very small amounts of oil to food, and a bit of salt (though much less than before). So, my "regular" eating is ok. It's the "reward" eating/drinking that does it. Somehow I've divided these two categories so completely that being very strict with meal food, and totally lax with dessert/snack food, doesn't seem contradictory. There's no logic.
And no, I don't have external funding yet - it would truly be a miracle, given my scarce preliminary data in this new field. I'm limping along with a small start-up plus an internal award I just received. The grad student SHOULD have department support. "Should" worries me.
These kinds of days are definitely sent to try us.
Yes. And they certainly do.
I am getting back into the low carb swing of things and it's feeling good. It's also feeling good to have time to exercise properly. Other things are building up but they are reasonably negotiable.
JayZeeJay, my regular eating is OK, too. I go off piste in between times (but rarely when I'm on low carb - but I can see this wouldn't help you). Remember how great fats like olive and coconut oil are for brain function and mood! Hang on in the work department. 'Limping along' is still forward motion.
Shannon, how's it going? That's bad news about DSS's baby teeth.
Allison, even if the scales haven't moved, has anything else improved? I try to focus on my tummy and clothes.
saef, Cape May sounds like a good place to let the wind blow through your hair. The architecture looks interesting too.
Andrea, all this talk of cherries! They sound wonderful.
Waking on the second morning in Atlantic City and hearing Laughing Gulls outside the hotel window.
No idea of my weight. The usual calculus of restaurant meals plus more walking than usual equals I-don't-know-what. I ate roasted branzino in a very nice restaurant at the casino last evening where the chef in her toque wandered among us.
Thinking of Shannon, who spent the night in the ER for her mother-in-law, got no sleep, then had to take her stepson to the dentist, then headed back to the hospital. Me, I am not only stressed by such emergencies, I am also panicked at the idea of "no food available" or rather, no food acceptable to me. This is what turns me into a hoarder of baggies with almonds or fruit. Also it's weird to me how awful the food is at hospitals, the very place where a spa-like menu would make the most sense.
Back home later today. I am reluctant to head to the grim little fitness center but the self-reproach if I don't won't be worth it.
Good morning, all. Tooth extraction went smoothly, some bumps in the afternoon with minor freakout over why his gums were still bleeding some hours later. I told him they would likely bleed off and on for a couple of days and that didn't make him happy... 24 hours with no straws, tooth brushing, or hard foods. As he eats about six things, it made dinner last night a challenge - I ended up making him a breakfast for dinner smorgosbord (which I don't know how to spell). Biscuits, yogurt, cheese squares, chocolate milk protein drink. Nothing crunchy or big requiring a lot of biting. I ended up not going back to the hospital last night, DH wanted to go instead so I stayed at home with the boy. She got released about 8:30 last night and he got her home and settled, we're about to start the round of follow up doctor visits today. Still no cause for what was going on, though her blood pressure spiked up high again several times during the day yesterday and was high last night when released.
Saef - I was completely unprepared on Tuesday night from a food standpoint. I ended up with grapefruit juice from the vending machine and half of a Fiber One bar. I should have taken the time to pack something but I ran out fast without thinking and bam, there all night. There are a couple of hospitals in the Atlanta area experimenting with extended hours and menu for the cafeteria and snack bars, and they are actually really good. Lots of healthy options, that are honestly appealing. This hospital was not one of those, sadly. I used to keep packed snack baggies of nuts and dried fruit in my purse just in case, I should go back to that.
Hope you're having fun, Saef! I also panic when I don't have a scale/ am unsure of food availability.
I went to an Italian restaurant last night and almost ordered branzino but opted for the salmon dish instead. Weight is up quite a bit which I'm assuming is mostly sodium (olives and capers, etc in the dish).
Today is our last day with students! We have a 5th grade and kindergarten celebration today and a catered staff party later. I'm hoping to stop by briefly and avoid the food (Chipotle).
I work through next Thursday and then I'm off till the beginning of August!
Tonight we are having a quote for gutters and possible roof repair. I'm praying it's not too expensive. Tomorrow we go sign for our home equity loan-- I had no idea when we applied that they treat it just like a home mortgage-- what a hassle-- it's taken forever!! We have to leave work early and fight traffic which will eliminate exercise tomorrow. So, I'm hoping to still find time today between the staff party and the guy coming by....
Other forms of fiber don't really seem to fill me up as well as grains do.
