PrairieQueen, that is such WONDERFUL News! I am praying for him to do well in this recovery period!

Carol Sue, your dinner sounds delicious! What great news that you BP and BG numbers are both good!

SeeMyFeet, a frustrating part about the car is that they almost certainly will eventually recall it, but that doesn't help you now. I wonder if you saved all the receipts if you could be reimbursed when they do finally admit that something is wrong with that model too.

Mars, your menu looks yummy! I may have to make some more chili soon (just regular, not turkey). It's just one of those great winter foods! I bought some white bean chicken chili in a can, like soup, that I also want to give a try.

Hi Trish!

I had a morning appt and then did some Christmas shopping so my breakfast and lunch were not my usual fare. Dinner was better. I definitely have not had enough water today. I'll try to make up for that some this evening.

Week 29: High 171, Low 170
11/29--171
11/30--170.5
12/1--170
12/2--170
12/3--170
12/4--DNW
12/5--170.5 Carb Day

Week 30:
12/6--173
12/7--172.5
12/8--171
12/9--170.5
12/10--
12/11--
12/12--

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
Fage Greek yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Lunch
Protein bar
Diet Dr. Pepper

Tea Time
Hot green tea

Dinner:
Roasted chicken
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower
Mio water

Snack: Danged pumpkin seeds! Why can't I resist these things?!

Today's Exercise:

OMG everyone! I haven't been this happy since my last child was born we got to see bro for five minutes and he looked great compared to last Friday. Ventilator may come out tomorrow.....then they'll let him wake up. He's been "out" since last Saturday a week.

Break - Sbarro breakfast sandwich w/bacon ala Charlotte Airport
Lunch - Subway Italian sub ala Fort Myer Health Plaza
Dinner - crackers w/butter and Swiss cheese

PQ, offering prayers of thanks for brother's successful surgery and additional prayers for a speedy recover.

PrairieQueen, fantastic!!! Thank God!

P.Q Wonderful news about your brother. I will continue to pray for him to have a successful recovery.

I got the Whey protein powder and have decided to drink one for breakfast and one for dinner with one meal around 2 or 3 pm and have one small snack in the evening. I don't know how it will be in the long run, but it sure was satisfying. If it continues to satisfy me that well, I just might lose some weight.

The doctor's office finally called and told me my Echo showed no change from last time. I have this done every year and the past 3 years have been "no change." I guess that's good. I know the valves are stiff and leaking, but I guess they are not to the point of causing problems, and might never get to that point. There's no difference in how I feel, as far as shortness of breath. And my ejection fraction is still in the normal range. Now that my blood pressure has come down some I have no reason to be avoiding exercise, except laziness. LOL

Mars, do you make your own tapenade or buy it premade? I have never had it but I googled it because I noticed you have it on a regular basis. I saw several recipes but would like to try it premade.

Good news Wbh!

We're going to hospital after lunch today. I had a fried egg w/cheese on toast for breakfast and plan on doing another sub for lunch as there's not too much PQ-approved food here. I tried to get them to go to grocery today so I could buy some stuff to cook for their dinners, but mother doesn't want to go until tomorrow. I imagine it will be dinner out tonight. I think I'm going to get an apple now....spotted them in fridge last night!

I just saw on the tv show "Home & Family" that people on average gain 2-10 lbs during the Holiday Season, from Halloween on (actual weight, not just temporary water weight). If that's the case, whether we are maintaining or losing, we should proud of ourselves because we are doing GREAT!

PrairieQueen, I hope your brother has a wonderful day! You continue to amaze me with your dedication to healthy eating and reporting here during all this! I know you are not trying to be, but you are an inspiration, and I admire your strength!

Trish, I'm glad the whey protein shakes are working for you! Even if you end up discovering that using them as a 2-meal replacement is not something you want to do everyday, it sounds like a great idea for busy days!

Mars, I had never even heard of tapanade before you! I had to google it too. It sounds very healthy and your tapanade, mushroom, and kraut omelet sounds like a superfood! How's the taste? Is it something you liked immediately, or did you have to develop a taste for it?

Carol Sue, I'm so glad your echo test came back showing no problems!

Yay! I'm back down to my low of 169! I really do believe 170 is where my body wants to be, but it's fun to step on the scale and see 169! It gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, I can reach 168, lol!

Week 29: High 171, Low 170
11/29--171
11/30--170.5
12/1--170
12/2--170
12/3--170
12/4--DNW
12/5--170.5 Carb Day

Week 30:
12/6--173
12/7--172.5
12/8--171
12/9--170.5
12/10--169
12/11--
12/12--

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
2 fried eggs
2 slices of bacon
Fage Greek yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Lunch
Fage Greek yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Tea Time
Hot green tea

Dinner:
White bean chicken chili soup
Mio water

Snack:
Pumpkin seeds

Today's Exercise:
2-mile walk around track

Well Jacqui, the Echo didn't show "no problems." I still have the 2 valves that are stiff and leaking. They just haven't become worse over the past couple years. They won't get better, but if they get worse I will know with fatigue and shortness of breath. Then they will either need to repair or replace them. They are holding off on that as long as they can because the replacement valves are only good for a certain number of years. My MIL had hers done in her 70s and still had the same bovine valve working fine when she passed away at 85. I think they say they are good for about 10 years. I think the mechanical valves last a lifetime but I wouldn't want one of them. You can hear it clicking and you have to be on coumadin for life.

Carol Sue, well then, I am so glad you have no additional problems! It sounds like the bovine valves are pretty good but I hope your own continue to work for you for a long time!

Today was good for bro. It's still a critical time until tomorrow. Bp and heart rate were excellent. They discontinued one med and reduced another. Ventilator possibly out tomorrow. Could be talking by tomorrow night or Saturday! So I've decided to stay until Sunday. Christmas 2015 miracle

PQ so glad to hear your brother is still improving. Baby steps. I know you will be happy to have him up and talking to you.

Mars, I have never had Kalamata olives, but if would try tapenade before attempting to make it. The recipes I saw said it's easy as all you do it put everything in a food processor, but my problem is I don't want to make a large quantity. I'm going to look for it locally. I do like olives but I don't know if I would like it with eggs. I'm also not sure about sauerkraut with eggs. LOL I don't think I'll even try that one, but I do eat a lot of eggs. I like them with vegetables, but not with cheese or ham. I'm funny about cheese. I like it cubed, by itself as a snack, but not with other food.

P.Q. So glad your brother is improving nicely. Yes it is truly your Christmas miracle. Do they give you any idea how long the recovery is? I'm wondering if he might be home for Christmas. We had one Christmas DH was in the hospital and I thought they would never decide whether to send him home for Christmas. Christmas eve is his birthday and we finally got him signed out and home around 7ish Christmas eve. I do pray his recovery will make that possible for your brother.

Jacqui Congratulations to making it into the 160s. I like what you heard about us not gaining weight during the holidays being a good thing, It is a good way to look at it. I have always done good during the holidays and have even lost weight. I'm not sure how this year is going to go.

I think I'm going to use the whey protein to increase my protein intake. I've heard that you have to get enough. I've been counting the protein in the past few days and was surprised to find that I don't really eat nearly enough especially if you are supposed to get 30g at each meal which is what I read. So rather than using it as a substitute meal, I will use it to raise my protein count. I will still work to keep my carbs down below 70s.

Carol Sue I'm glad you got good new on the echo and that your bp is improving.

Mars I've never tried Kalamata olives or tapenade. I Lebanese lady I took care of years ago at the olives regularly, but I never tried them. I've seen tapenade at Costco, but won't buy them for fear I won't like it. I don't like anchovies and I loved sardines when I was a teen and ate them with my girlfriends dad. Years later I bought a can of sardines and they had the heads on them and dumped them. For one thing it looked too much like minnows and I don't eat things looking at me. LOL It is a shame because I remember them tasting soooo good. I just can't past the look. I think the reason I could eat it with friends dad is that he put one between crackers and I didn't see what it looked like.

I stopped using the CO in the Bulletproof coffee and I'm using EVOO. It is a little easier on my stomach than the CO was so I will continue drinking it with the scoop of whey protein in it.

Hope I didn't miss anyone. Y'all have a great Friday.

Bro update: we made a short visit to hospital today. He's making great improvements relatively speaking. If he is released before Xmas, it will be to rehab facility for 1-2 months....just depends on how fast things progress. Mom and I are going back after dinner. He woke up today and was trying to talk and passed cognitive tests with flying colors.

PrairieQueen, excellent!

Mars, eating enough not to graze between meals is exactly how I eat. Before I started this way of eating, I grazed all the time! I have to say, I'm with Carol Sue: No sauerkraut in my eggs, lol!

Trish, it sounds like you are going to do well this holiday season also!

Back at 170 today.

Week 29: High 171, Low 170
11/29--171
11/30--170.5
12/1--170
12/2--170
12/3--170
12/4--DNW
12/5--170.5 Carb Day

Week 30:
12/6--173
12/7--172.5
12/8--171
12/9--170.5
12/10--169
12/11--170
12/12--

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
2 fried eggs
2 slices of bacon
Fage Greek yogurt with Mio
Mio water

Lunch
Crockpot Chili
Mio water

Tea Time
Hot green tea

Dinner:
Crockpot Chili
Beef sticks
Diet Dr. Pepper

Today's Exercise:
2-mile walk around the track