Rosebud said: I'm actually in Eastern Ontario, two zones colder than Fatmad. The early peas were a fluke - it was a very mild March. No blueberries here until late July but I do have raspberries, black currants and "black caps". What a wonderful season of the year to stay on programme!

Happy CANADA DAY!

Have been getting back on track, eating better again and getting out for walks and gardening. Through it all the metformin has kept my sugars stable. Haven't been high or low at all, very steady.
But not losing anymore weight. Seem to be stuck where I am.
And not happy about that weight.

Meanwhile, I am happy to hear that everyone here is enjoying the summer and fresh fruit and veggies, and getting out and about. We just had a lovely Canada Day, hope our friends to the south enjoy their national holiday on Sunday. There weather is going to stay fabulous by the look of things.

Good thing I can't absorb carbs through my pores or I'd be dead by now. I just spent the last three hours prepping things for tomorrow's chicken BBQ - macaroni and potato salad plus carrots in a honey based dressing! Yes, there will also be pie. Twenty dozen rolls are in the works too.

I'm sticking to my healthy eating by just serving at the BBQ tomorrow although I will take home a serving of chicken which will do me two meals at home.

HAPPY CANADA DAY!


We got back home from our CANADA DAY fireworks display after 11 pm last night and it was exceptional this year, I must say ... well, it is our 100th birthday anniversary so it was a special one. Our dear NIKO with us and he just curled up in a ball in the back seat and slept through the whole thing ...

I was busy this AM baking some breakfast slice to use up some ripe bananas, which is really just a healthier version of Banana Bread for DH. I made some for myself too with a few raisins and topped with a few walnuts. Will freeze some for the rest of the month or two.

Have a great weekend, and HAPPY JULY 4th to our American friends here ... Rosebud

Ruth, you have more willpower than me to be able to make those things and then avoid them.
Have had company all weekend, and did a small cheat, (ate half a slice of sugar free pie for dessert on Friday) and though I stuck to my woe, did overindulge with quantities too.
Got a bit stressed out trying to juggle work and guests, but my darling daughter took charge of the situation and did a great job on the home front, leaving me to work without distraction.
My dog is sick, so hope she makes it through the heat wave. Our geothermal heat that we put in last winter can reverse to blast cool air through the house. We've never had air conditioning before, but for her sake, its quite nice.
We have had a lovely holiday weekend, hope our american friends enjoy their national holiday too.

We have quite a heatwave with terrible humidity going on up here; not usual for this area but the second time we have had it so far. Yesterday was nice up at our lot; had a nice sprinkling of in the afternoon and during the night too. We got out for a wee bit of shopping and walking this AM; but have stayed indoors with the A/C all afternoon and evening.

Eating well and except for some stomach/intestinal problems (have to get this checked out as it was minor before;then went away and has come back today twice), am doing good this month. Hoping and praying that it is nothing too serious.

Hope you all have a nice week coming up ... Rosebud

Hope the tummy trouble isn't serious and you can get it checked out soon, Rosebud. (Tell me again where you are in Ontario - I keep thinking Timmons.)

Well, I had to adjust my ticker after the weekend - BGL held steady but there were several indiscretions foodwise. Back to super-clean eating today with an asparagus, HB egg and greens salad about to happen. I also have a gorgeous melon that I'll slice up and portion out carefully.

It's really, really hot and the gym is not AC so no session today although my timely reminder did pop up. I guess lugging around the hose and finishing the deck power-washing will have to be the "exercise" for this day.

Drink water, chickies!

THANKS, RUTH ~ yes, I do live in a small town near Timmins. Timmins is the closest city to where we live and we often have to go to their bigger hospital for tests, procedures, and surgeries. I sent you a private message about that as our internet provider told us not to mention our town as it was so small people would be able to identify us too easily (and I am sure several of our friends, relatives, and acquaintances already have, from what I have been hearing). So much for security, eh? a

I am calling for an appt tomorrow when our clinic is supposed to be open. We do have limited doctors becuz it's a small town. Funny, we just got three news one to replace those leaving and people are still having to wait a long time for appointments. I am still glad to have our system over the one in the US though.

Today, things looked a bit better too. I have been eating very well and am glad for that. Got a bit of walking in today as well. I am trying to do a bit of something every day; and Sunday is my rest day. Some of my bushes and flowers we planted last week are starting to bloom for us today; it makes it all worth while to see them. I agree -- we need to drink lots of water; esp during this hot weather!

Have a great week, people ... Rosebud

RUTH ~ I did get an appointment for July 20th @ 3:30 pm so that is pretty good; only 2 weeks away. I do try to eat complex carbs most often; whole grain bran bread and have been working in whole grain pasta as well. I also try to have veggies and/or salad for both lunch & dinner each day. Some days I may have a HM veggie soup and a salad for dinner; or a lettuce/spinach salad for lunch and a coleslaw for dinner (or visa versa).

I just bought a bag of new mixed coleslaw which has shredded red & green cabbage, carrots, and broccoli stems; and it is nice and crunchy -- great fiber in there. It is my new favorite one and I saw that they also have a new broccoli slaw and a carrot slaw available too. I will be in slaw heaven as it is my favorite salad.

I have been adding some baby spinach to my romaine lettuce salads lately too. I pick about 12 leaves and put them in a baggie in the fridge and they stay nice and crispy for the next day too. Near the end of its cycle, I will pick all of them and put them into the freezer as they are nice in soups, sauces, and stews.

We woke up to today which is good becuz it has cooled things down for us; it's still a bit humid but it's better than what we had. My newly planted day lilies and my Goldfinger Cinquefoil bush are blooming now; and the brown-eyed Susans will be very soon. The white Abbotsford Cinquefoil bush has been blooming since we bought it, as have the Sweet William Dianthuses.

Hope you all have a great day ... Rosebud

I have been eating more coleslaw myself. Really enjoying it, and its so easy when you buy it in a bag. I just use mayo for dressing. On reading ingredients, I see a lot of "coleslaw" dressings have sugar in them, and quite a lot of sugar at that. Anyone know of sugar free "coleslaw" dressings?

MAD -- I just use Miracle Whip with a bit of white Vinegar; or lite sour cream; or lite Ranch dressing with my coleslaws. I suppose you could check out the BLUE MENU ones to see if they have less sugar or maybe you could make your own too.


INTERESTING SIDE NOTE HERE: recently a friend of mine (and her DH) came back to our town (they used to live here) to visit family and friends; while visiting with us, she told me something interesting. Her DH is diabetic, and she said the diabetic counselor told her DH to stop drinking 'DIET' sodas and to drink regular instead becuz the body reacted worse to the diet ones than the sugar ones. So far, he hasn't had any adverse reactions to this change; and I think he only has one a day.

Well, another lady told me once that I shouldn't be afraid to put real sugar in my tea and coffee (in small amounts), as the sweeteners may be worse for us. She was a volunteer for the diabetes association too.

I have read that the real reason is that the body still thinks you ate sugar becuz it tastes sweet and so it releases insulin and that is why our sugars dip down too much and are not balanced (for some of us, that is). Also by putting in a little sugar or natural sweeteners in your drinks, you can keep your blood sugar levels more balanced over the day. Some people put a little cream and sugar in their coffee for the same reason.

I also heard that using all these fake sweeteners leave us more hungry than if we had used sugar or other natural sweeteners in the first place -- and the only rule is to limit how much we have each day.

Have any of you heard this same new message?

I know that I cannot tolerate regular sodas now. I cannot stand the taste, they are much too sweet for me. Being a type 1, with NO insulin production whatsoever, I guess it wouldn't affect me either way. I cut out sodas of all varieties a few years ago, I will only have a small or medium soda once or twice a month, otherwise it is water, water, tea, water, or more water! lol I drink fruit juice at the same frequency as soda, as I feel that if I am going to ingest fruit, might as well eat it and benefit from the fibre content! lol

Fallen off the bandwagon recently, blood sugars going high. Starting back up with my diabetes nurse weekly appointments.

CASANDRA ~ like you, I don't drink a lot of soda either, but every now and then I get a yen for it, so I always have some on hand, just in case (esp in the summertime, with some ice). I have always bought diet soda for the same reason you mentioned: I just find the regular ones way too sweet for me now; and have for most of my life, as I don't have a huge sweet tooth either ...

Most of the time, I just drink water, tea, or coffee; but more water than anything. My DH drinks regular soda and always has, as he just doesn't like the taste of diet sodas, so every one is different. People used to think it was odd that I drank so much water. They would offer me coffee, tea, pop (all kinds), juice, milk, etc ... but in the summer, when it is hot ... a nice glass of cold water is my #1 preference.

I haven't had a regular soda in years, but recently switched to mainly having the schwepps ginger ale since its made with splenda. No effect on sugars for me, before or after the metformin started. I do drink a few every week. I like fizzy drinks. I prefer perrier to still water to enjoy. (I do drink plenty of regular water, from the brita filter). It not that I'm unconcerned about artificial sweeteners, but that I think the sugar in soda's is too much of a risk for me. Another good option, is to add soda water into a quarter glass of a favourite juice. Fizzes it up, you get only natural fruit sugars usually, but cut down to size.
I find its the caffeine in a lot of sodas that spikes my sugars, so I gave that up. In the U.S., more of the sodas have caffeine, and higher amounts of caffeine than we have in Canada. I stick to diet gingerale or soda with cranberry juice for my fizzy drinks.

ALso, on an odd note, got a period on Thursday, and feel crummy today. Fell off the wagon and ate some very sweet milk chocolate that was great. (usually if I have choc, its a few squares of dark stuff) .
The periods have been few and far between in the last year, went from September to March (around the time Mum died) again 2.5 weeks later in April (for her funeral) so I put that down to stress, and not again until now.
I decided to attribute this one to weight loss, a lot of women I know who lost weight in the perimenopause said that seemed to affect cycles, fat loss affecting hormones. Its one side effect of weight loss I am NOT appreciating.
LOL